


Memories of You

by Painted_With_a_Palette



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2020-05-31 16:54:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 195,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19430161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Painted_With_a_Palette/pseuds/Painted_With_a_Palette
Summary: She was ridden with severe anxiety after a traumatic experience in her youth. He felt pressured to become a Keyblade wielder in the aftermath of his father's death. At times, they felt alone. But they found each other. AU.





	1. Dearly Beloved

Roxas,

I guess I'll get the self-conscious disclaimer out of the way first: bear with me. I think I kinda suck at this? I'll let you be the judge.

When I came up with the brilliant idea to write to you, my brain was charged with the numerous things I wanted to say. I had high expectations that I'd lay everything out in some poetic anecdote dripping with passion but joke's on me—I suck at living up to my own expectations. So, please forgive me if I come across as an inarticulate mess of disjointed thoughts packaged into an unpolished splurge of word vomit. This is me we're talking about here. Not that you weren't already aware of this.

After all, you probably understand me better than anyone I've met in my life. Including my secrets. In fact, it's pretty embarrassing. But despite your tendency to relentlessly tease me in a peculiar manner that is somehow both annoying and adorable, you've kept everything confidential in that big, dumb noggin of yours. But I'm glad I decided to trust you. You taught me how to do that again.

Incoming warning for some cheesy cheesefest of cheese—you've been at my side ever since that summer and I'm eternally grateful. When my life figures it's bored with stability and crumbles, you smile and help pick up the pieces. When I fall, you're the first one to lend a hand. I'd like to think I've somehow contributed in helping you come to certain realizations of your own, but I don't know what kind of person I would be if you never entered my life. So... thank you.

But, anyway! This isn't about me! At least, it's not supposed to be.

I hope you're doing okay. I just wanted to check up on you. I know how excited you were about the gummi ship thingy. On the likely chance that you're curious, I'm doing well myself! It's my first day at my new job. My co-workers are really sweet, the food here is nothing short of culinary mastery (there is a spread of red velvet cake and coconut lime cookies and they have tons of mint chocolate chip in the freezer downstairs, I kid you not!), the staff has been excellent, and I am beyond ecstatic. I'm also super nervous. Crazy plot twist, I know. But I'm managing. A lot better than I used to, at least. I'm a big girl now. Aren't you proud? You better be. I owe most of it to you.

I can already hear you saying something delightfully corny like "Nam, you did it all by yourself" and I would roll my eyes but still cave to your recycled lines from the rom-com factory and kiss you regardless. I'm corny too, so it's okay. But sometimes, we can't always do it on our own. Not everyone, at least. Some of us need a little nudge in the right direction. So give yourself at least some credit, dork. Even though I know you won't.

I guess the underlying gist of all this babble is... I miss you. I wish you were here. I feel like ever since we graduated high school, life has tried its best to keep up apart. But I've been trying my best to see you as much as I possibly can. And you know how I feel about long distance. But I want you to trust me.

Who would've thought this all started at a party?

* * *

**Memories of You**

* * *

A loud cry cut through the silence.

"You'll never take me alive!"

Kairi watched tiredly at the top of the stairs as her sister gracelessly landed on the living room carpet and dashed to her left. She had a feeling it would come down to this. Kairi stomped downstairs and examined every corner of the quiet living room with the utmost scrutiny.

"Naminé," she sang. "Come out, come out, wherever you are."

She proceeded into her battle stance: legs slightly apart, a hair dryer close to her face, and all fingers wrapped tightly around the handle as if it were an actual firearm. She crept into the living room as her eyes dissected each corner. Mission status: N/A. Current location: decently-sized living room with two lounge chairs on both sides against a sky blue wall, one big sectional sofa in the middle of a coral-colored carpet situated before a glass coffee table and wide-screen TV. Visual on target? Negative. Kairi was genuinely impressed that Naminé somehow found a way to keep herself hidden in a small area with seemingly no conceivable hiding spots.

"I don't want to do this, Nam. But you're forcing my hand," Kairi warned. "This is for your own good, you know! We can do this the easy way or the hard way."

As expected, there was no response.

"Fine. I'm counting to three and I want your butt upstairs in the bathroom so that I can finish doing your hair." She was met with silence. "I mean it!" Nothing. "Okay, you asked for it. One," Kairi began, examining her surroundings carefully. "Two..."

Her head snapped to the side when noticing an unidentifiable figure whooshing past through her peripheral view with a gust of wind and a low, eerie whistle accompanying the sudden movement. Kairi remained defiant against the suspenseful air and narrowed her eyes.

"Two and a half... I'm not afraid to use this!" She motioned to her hair dryer as if it were lethal. "Three!" She heard soft footsteps and swiftly aimed at the culprit like a police officer. "Freeze!"

The rush of adrenaline tempered immediately upon discovering the source was not her quirky sister but instead a white and brown-furred snowshoe cat that happened to be bathing herself. Kairi lowered her defense as disappointment settled in the pit of her stomach.

"Mocchi, this is supposed to be a battlefield. Shoo."

Mocchi stared with her beautiful wide eyes before strolling along. Kairi sighed and let her guard down, leaving her completely vulnerable to the incoming attack. She screamed once her sister got the jump on her from behind and seized her by the collarbone. The unsuspecting redhead nearly lost balance while attempting to remove the bestial blonde from her behind her.

"No means no, Kairi!" Naminé exclaimed.

As if it were her secret weapon, Kairi turned on the hairdryer and pointed it behind her shoulder. Naminé hissed like a vampire caught in the morning skylight. She was forced to make a tactical retreat to her room and ascended the stairs on all-fours like an undomesticated savage.

"Oh ho, no you don't!" Kairi chased after her.

Naminé made a beeline for the door at the very end of the hall. It looked like a safe haven. Naminé leaped for victory before reality came crashing down on her, figuratively and literally, as Kairi tackled her moments before Naminé could reach the promised land. Naminé dug her fingers through the peach carpet, inches away from her room, desperately clawing for her sanctum.

"I-I said no! You can't make me!"

Kairi, who nonchalantly sat on the back of her squirming sister since there wasn't much strength required to keep her in place, sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Naminé, it's over. Give up already."

"Never!" she returned dramatically.

"I don't see what the big deal is. It's just one little party."

Naminé eventually stopped her pointless wriggling and leaned her chin against her palm. "You say that now. T-Then you'll be asking me to go skydiving or bungee jumping."

"Naminé, I'm not going to ask you to go bungee jumping." Skydiving sounded fun but Kairi made sure keep that to herself just in case.

"Are you crazy? Aren't you forgetting about Dad?"

"First of all, he's not home. And second, he's working late again. He'll never know either way. Try again."

Naminé growled. "How do you propose we get there? Isn't the beach, like, a forty-minute walk from here? And neither of us have a license or a car, for that matter. You can't honestly expect me to—"

"Uber exists, you know. I still have leftover cash from my old job at Radiant Garden. I can easily pay for us both to and from. Next?" Kairi blew at her nails confidently.

Naminé puffed out her cheeks. "How about I threaten to tell Dad you're planning to stay out after curfew?"

"Bluffing."

"And if I'm not?"

"Then perhaps Dad would also like to know of a certain ex-boyfriend you met online two years ago."

There was something incredibly satisfying for Kairi to see those wide eyes and the faint hue burning against her sister's cheeks. "You wouldn't," Naminé pressed.

"But I would," Kairi lied with a grin cunning and conniving. "That incident probably would've gotten pretty juicy if it weren't for long-distance. Otherwise, who knows what might've happened? Of course, nothing happened but you know how Dad gets. I wonder what he would do. Didn't that guy live here in Destiny Islands, too? Maybe he'd send a whole search warrant for him. Gosh, how embarrassing. Maybe he'd even take your laptop away—"

"Okay, okay!" Naminé plopped her face against the carpet, her hair messily sprawled out around her. "I get it," came her muffled voice. "Just... don't bring that up again. Please."

Kairi chuckled while eying her empathetically. She didn't really want to go there but Naminé forced her hand. "It's not like I want to make this any more difficult than it has to be. I just want to sort this out properly like two women on the verge of young adulthood. Not like when we were children fighting over the remote. We can at least do that, can't we?"

After a moment of hesitation, Naminé exhaled deeply. Running around the house was admittedly tiring. "I suppose so. Help me up?"

Smiling victoriously, Kairi stood from her comfortable position and helped Naminé to her feet. Naminé readjusted her glasses and cleared her throat. Then, a devious half-smile.

"Sucker!"

Naminé shoved an off-guard Kairi and slipped into her room, slamming the door and locking it just as quickly. Kairi recovered with a groan. She admitted she probably walked right into that one, but it didn't make her any less frustrated. "Okay, that was just plain childish!"

"And you fell for it. Soooo... I win!" came Naminé's suppressed gloating. "Serves you right for being so persistent."

"Only because that's the only way to get through to you! You're not exactly open-minded," Kairi barked back.

"I could say the same to you," Naminé snapped. "You're not open-minded to the idea that everyone just isn't built like you and force your way of thinking onto others!"

"Naminé, I only say this because I care. You need to get out of your own head and stop being afraid of people or worrying what they think about you. This shutting yourself out of the world thing—you know it's not healthy. "

Naminé bit her thumbnail. She conceded she had been cooped up in her room for months and probably needed a good few hours of exercise. But there were too many dangerous obstacles lurking outside—like the cashier at the supermarket, sitting next to strangers on the bus, and don't even get her started on silent elevator rides. It was a ferocious concrete jungle of impending awkwardness that Naminé had no desire to participate in.

Naminé pressed her back against the door and buried her face into her hands. "I-I... I can't, Kairi."

"Sure you can. The problem is that you just keep telling yourself you can't. How can you expect to be productive like that?"

"I'm plenty productive, thank you very much." Kairi wanted to protest but held her tongue. Their definitions of productivity were very different. "Can't you just go without me? I promise I won't tell Dad. Just let me self-depreciate and tend to my 'forever alone' party where I eat comfort food, watch cartoons, and sleep. It's surprisingly cathartic—highly recommended."

Beginning to grow impatient, Kairi tapped her foot and set her hands on her hips. "We've been living in Destiny Islands, one of _thee_ most gorgeous worlds in the entire galaxy for three weeks and you haven't gone outside once to appreciate it. This place is practically a landmark for tourists. And I still have to pull teeth just to get you out of your room."

"Well, it isn't like we're still in Radiant Garden. You can't just expect me to get used to this so quickly when we've just—"

"You've been like this for years, Nam. I'm worried about you," Kairi added tenderly.

Naminé fiddled with her thumbs. Just the thought of social interaction made the hairs on her arms stick up. She was never what one would call a social butterfly in the first place but after a few unfortunate incidents that happened within the previous decade, she had even less of an inclination to get out into the real world. Everything seemed so much scarier than before. What kind of people lurked on the outside? How did she know who to trust? These were the questions Naminé had but didn't desire the answers to.

"Can I come in?" Kairi asked gently. She received no response for a brief window of stillness. "Please?"

Soon, she heard fumbling from the other side and the doorknob click before the disheveled blonde revealed herself. She looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. As Kairi stepped inside, her eyes trailed towards the state of her sister's fairly spacious room. When they first moved in, it was plain white and she failed to understand why her sister was adamant about singling out such a lifeless room as her own.

But now, the walls were decorated with many of Naminé's signature art pieces, breathing life and color into an otherwise dull living space. Paintings and sketches covered nearly every inch. Miniature sculptures were situated on a rectangular shelf mounted on the wall. Kairi was impressed, but she still saw an underlying sadness hidden beneath the display of creativity. All of that talent being wasted in a blank four-walled canvas just because a girl was too afraid to step outside of her own world. This was her comfort zone and she wasn't willing to leave it behind.

Kairi tried putting on a smile for Naminé. "Looks like you've been busy."

Naminé stared blankly before plunking at her workstation, cluttered with empty cups of Chinese takeout, and mindlessly scribbled raindrops on the tablet she used for digital art. Kairi huffed at the failed attempt at lightening the mood and decided to get to the point.

"I understand you love to draw and stuff, I really do. But you can't just—I dunno—hide from the world."

"I-I'm not hiding," Naminé insisted. "I'm just, uh... planning."

"Planning what, exactly? Your funeral?"

Naminé leaned her forehead against her fist and bulged out her bottom lip. "Maybe."

"You're so overdramatic."

"Maybe."

Kairi rolled her eyes. Mocchi entered the room and beckoned for Naminé's attention by pawing at her leg; the artist smiled and patted her thighs, a familiar signal for her to hop onto her favorite respite where she received soft strokes from Naminé's delicate hands.

Kairi looked over at the shelf to find a familiar picture of a cheerful nine-year-old Naminé holding hands with a middle-aged but young-looking woman with shoulder-length wavy pink hair in front of a large fountain. Kairi swallowed a lump, unsure how to address a delicate topic properly. "This, uh, still doesn't have anything to do with Mom, does it?"

She noticed Naminé stiffen before resuming her aimless scribbling. "No," Naminé answered. "Not entirely."

"But partially?" Kairi asked, sitting on the neatly made bed next to her.

"Yes. Or, no! Well, I mean... I dunno."

Kairi let out an inaudible sigh. She hoped Naminé would leave that incident in the past after five years and realize what happened wasn't her fault, but Kairi surmised that she was dealing with the queen of overthinking. Plus, that couldn't have been the only thing bothering her. "Look at me, Nam." Naminé made a pathetic attempt at craning her neck before shifting her focus back to her tablet. Kairi snatched the tablet and crossed her arms.

"Hey!" said Naminé with a pout.

"No more of this anti-Naminé pity party with you as the honored guest. You think I'm just okay seeing my sister shut herself out from the world and spare no time for friends, family, or even something basic like walking to the convenience store down the street for a candy bar? It hurts to see someone you love do this to themselves."

Her voice and eyes were assertive, but compassionate. Naminé couldn't overlook how kind and helpful Kairi had been for the past few years. She always brought her food and made sure she showered and brushed her teeth twice a day when Naminé's body felt too heavy to get out of bed. A favor should have been the least she could do for her. Normally, it would have been.

But of all things, it had to be a party. With people. Where she had to use words. To speak. And interact. Naminé's heartbeat raced and her hands became hot and clammy. What if she messed up? What if she said something inappropriate? What if she accidentally spilled her drink on someone's brand new shoes? What if she met a cute boy and passed gas during her first impression? What if she ran out of things to say entirely? What if a meteor ironically crashed the island on this exact day and the person she was talking to nearly fell off the edge of a cliff due to the sheer impact and Naminé would have to pull them up but her hands always got so sweaty when she's under pressure and she accidentally dropped them—

"Naminé!" Suddenly, her hands were entangled with Kairi's, who sat at the edge of her bed. Her panic was soothed by Kairi's warmth before Kairi continued. "I won't let anyone hurt you. You have to know that."

Naminé gave a meek smile. "Well, it's not you I'm worried about." She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, already regretting what she was about to say. "Fine. I'll go. Just this one night, though."

The redhead beamed like the horizon during the break of dawn and clamped her sister into a hug with a squeal. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret this!"

Naminé begged to differ as Kairi's squeeze and shrieking brought pain to both her lungs and her ears simultaneously. "You're already making me regret this..." she said in a pained voice.

"Oh, oh! Sorry!" Kairi released her with an apologetic grin. "Don't worry, this is going to be great. I'll take care of the presentation side of things; all you need to do is let your hair down and have some fun!"

Unfortunately, Naminé didn't find her sister's enthusiasm very contagious. Did she actually agree to this? But Naminé offered a contrived smile regardless. "Great," she said through her teeth.

On the inside, however, Naminé was yearning for the sweet release of death.

* * *

Roxas stared at it with contempt.

He didn't mean to stumble across his father's old Keyblade, the Fenrir, while in the middle of cleaning his closet but it just turned out that way. It was a painful reminder of everything he didn't want to be. It brought back memories best left in the void of his mind. Especially after the day he had, this Keyblade was the last thing he wanted to see.

Roxas surmised he could use a break. He borderline chucked the Fenrir back into his closet and chose to do his best to forget about it. He pulled out his phone, some earbuds, some chips from the kitchen cupboard, and plopped back onto his bed. Nothing beat laying back and allowing the music sing melodic tales of personal struggle or sweet nothings to him all night long. He reached for a chip and hurled one into the air before effortlessly catching it with a definitive crunch. He closed his eyes, letting the soft inflections and tender lyrics ease him into a nap. Yes, nothing could possibly distur—

"GET UP ON THE HYDRA'S BACK!"

Roxas jolted out of his trance, much to the amusement of a familiar duo laughing at his priceless reaction: a spiky-haired redhead with two reverse teardrop tattoos under his eyes and a girl with shortcut jet black hair and a snapback. Roxas threw a pillow at the perpetrator that nearly busted his eardrum. "What the hell, Xion."

Xion laughed despite the pillow hitting her in the face. "Sorry! He dared me to do it. You know I had to." She pointed at his lower half. "Cute boxers, by the way."

Roxas rolled his eyes. As if they hadn't seen practically every inch of his body, and vice versa, within the past ten years of silly pranks and "accidentally" walking in on each other in the shower while conveniently having their phone or camera ready to snap embarrassing pictures to hold over each other's head.

"Besides, you know Lea and I can't resist messing with this adorwabu face." Xion pinched his cheek, resulting in him smacking her hand away.

Suddenly, all fun and games stopped for Lea and he adopted a poker-face. "How many times have I told you to call me Axel before it sinks in?"

"Okay, Axel," she emphasized in a fake deep voice. "If it helps your testosterone sleep soundly tonight."

"It's my stage name. Don't diss the stage name."

"Guys," Roxas interrupted. His smirk was shrewd despite his eyebrow twitching. "Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but... get out of my house."

Xion made a pouty face. "I get the feeling he doesn't want to see us right now."

"Whaaat? Nooo," Roxas replied sarcastically. "Why are you even here?"

"Whaddaya mean, why?" Axel asked, his jaw hung loose. He grabbed Roxas by the shoulders and shook him vehemently. "It's the day, man," he said with urgency. "You know, _thee_ day that is the highlight of every summer?"

It took a moment for Roxas to register it. "Oh. The party."

Axel looked offended by his lack of enthusiasm. "What kinda reaction is that? You would deny the copious amounts of awe-inspiring exhilaration that the Destiny Islands annual summer beach party has so graciously bestowed upon your feeble and unworthy existence? Beer, kick ass music, babes? Hello? Now, are you comin' or not? Yes or yes?"

Roxas used his index finger against Axel's chest to gently create some much-needed space between them. "No."

"I hate you."

Roxas chuckled. "Besides, I don't even like beer. Is it that odd that I'm just not feeling a party tonight?"

"There's a distinct difference between a party and _thee_ party," Axel stated matter-of-factly. "The whole town is gonna be there, man."

"Honestly, I don't really want to go either," Xion admitted. Ignoring a dumbfounded Axel, she situated herself next to Roxas on his bed. "Let's not forget that I'm only going this year to introduce you guys to that friend I met on Mognet I told you about. We've all been so busy these past few weeks we never found the time for it, but this seems like my only option. And I shamefully admit that I, for once, have nothing better to do this evening. So, I'm all yours. Chips, please?" Roxas complied with her request.

"Besides, you know it's just gonna be the same thing as last year," Roxas continued. "There'll be crappy music you can barely have a conversation over, Sora and Riku will somehow find a way to get into some pointless dick-measuring contest, Xion will get drunk and I'll be the one stuck with hauling her home—"

"I resent that," Xion weakly protested with a faint blush.

"—and you," Roxas said, staring at Axel with a half-lidded, bored gaze. "You'll be gawking at every girl that walks past you like a dirty old man until one of them is dumb enough to look back and you'll disappear for the rest of the night without giving us a heads up."

Axel returned an equally dull stare before shifting his attention towards Xion. "What about you? Are you also gonna be an ass puss tonight?"

"Certified and approved," she said with a sheepish shrug. "I'm still going, of course. But maybe on a liquor-free diet? I don't think I'm up for a morning hangover."

"You're both fucked!" Axel smacked his own forehead. "And you're both forgetting the most crucial detail and I'm hurt that neither of you remembered. Do I gotta spell everything out for you nitwits?" Roxas and Xion stared at him dumbly while their loud chewing overtook the silence. "Here's a hint: The Melodious Nocturnes! As in, me and my band are one of the acts tonight and I would've thought my so-called _best friends_ would've had my back on this."

"We just saw you perform at Shoyu Shoyu a week ago," Roxas reminded.

Axel shivered while recalling the bittersweet memory. "But that was when we were playin' for some dipshits who got no appreciation for the contemporary Fine Arts. This is gonna be an actual concert with people who are actually our age who actually know how to get hyped about somethin'. A chance to get the word out about us. So, blame a guy for hopin' for a little moral support from his best buddies. Memorized, got it?"

"I think you said that wrong," Xion noted.

Roxas sighed as he sat up from his position and headed into the kitchen. "I'm just not in the mood tonight. Maybe next year, Ax."

"Next year?" Axel asked incredulously, following Roxas. Xion didn't trail too far behind as she continued to freeload Roxas's chips. "And if I tragically die in a car crash before the next annual beach party, I'll haunt you for the rest of your life for not comin' to support me at my last one."

Roxas gave him a dreary look before rummaging through the fridge for a soda. "Stop being dramatic. How about I just morally support from afar this time?"

Axel crossed his arms and examined his friend up and down. "What's goin' on?" Roxas looked disinterested while taking a sip of his grape soda. "You've always been a pretty chill dude, I'll give you that, but you've never been this prude about a party. What happened?"

"You do seem a little different," Xion said in-between her chip chewing. "We haven't seen you in a week. It's almost as if you were avoiding us."

Roxas chuckled bitterly. He couldn't fool them. They were his best friends, after all. "I didn't make the cut."

It didn't take the two long to realize what Roxas was referring to. "Let me guess. The grant for the Geppetto Foundation for Gummi Ship Piloting, right?" Axel asked.

Roxas nodded and shrugged. "The guy said my résumé was great but that Destiny Islands is too far from their home world and didn't want to accommodate for living arrangements just in case we had a change of plans. It's not like I can afford to move right now. And you know Mom is too preoccupied with work. Kinda bummed me out, I guess."

Xion and Axel exchanged looks of concern before nodding understandably. Xion played with a few strands of his golden blond hair. "Poor baby."

"But hey, no worries." Roxas perked up with a slight smile. "I'm not giving up. I still haven't given the McDuck Enterprises training program a shot and that's the one I wanted the most."

"But you were really bettin' on this one, huh?" Axel asked, crossing his arms.

"Guess you could say that," Roxas answered, briefly averting his eyes. "But it is what it is. That's why I kinda just wanted a day to take my mind away from everything."

"Listen," Axel spoke. "I know how much that program meant to you, so I'm not gonna have my buddy sitting in here all by himself when there's babes and booze waiting for him just a block away. You're comin' with us." Noticing that Roxas wasn't budging, he bumped Xion on the shoulder. "Help me out here, will ya?" he muttered.

Xion sighed. "Roxas, you know I'm always up for lazing around in your undies with nothing but a bag of chips and a good sentimental song to keep you company after a long day, but Axel might have a point. You know, for once," Xion said as she traded the bag of chips for his grape soda and took a sip without permission. Roxas glared at her once he realized the bag was empty. Why were they his best friends again?

"Yeah, for once!" Axel agreed. "How about I selflessly volunteer to be your appointed wingman for the night? I promise that you'll be going home with the babe of your choice once the evening is over. Guaranteed, or your money back."

Roxas didn't consider himself a pushover, but when it came to disregarding Axel and Xion, he had a difficult time and they knew it. Maybe they even had a point. Lounging around his house doing nothing all day probably wasn't the healthiest. Some fresh air might have done him some good. Roxas groaned and raked a hand through his already messy hair. He was going to regret this, wasn't he?

"Fine."

Axel lit up as he patted Roxas on the back, probably a bit harder than necessary. "My man!"

"But no wingman, no babes, and no beer," Roxas quickly demanded. "Unlike some people, I'd actually like to have some self-control tonight."

Axel winced with disgust.

"Aww, who's trying to be a good boy?" Xion teased while ruffling his hair.

"I am!" Roxas returned with a cheeky smile.

"Fine, I'll take what I can get," Axel said somewhat begrudgingly. "But don't come cryin' to me when you see 'em all half-naked and change your mind."

"Dude, you have a girlfriend, remember?" Roxas said nonchalantly.

"Hey, lookin' is free." Axel shrugged.

"Whatever you say," Roxas said. "I'm sure you'll be able to handle the massive amount of groupies coming your way after your legendary performance tonight."

Axel rubbed his chin in deep contemplation. "Good point."

Xion sighed at Axel's obliviousness to sarcasm. Roxas laughed and moved past them, snatching his half-full soda from Xion and shoving the empty bag back into her possession. "Let's go, losers. Before I change my mind."

* * *

This was a mistake. Abort mission!

Naminé would have liked to, at least. But she knew it would've been a futile effort considering Kairi was a short distance away ordering at one of the many snack bars and kept a sharp eye on Naminé to make sure she didn't sneak away approximately every fifteen seconds. But it didn't stop her from being anxious. Kairi couldn't hide her excitement if she wanted to (she didn't) and practically discharged rays of mirth throughout the entire duration of the ride mostly over the fact that she could finally meet the mutuals of her online friend.

Naminé envied her sister. It must have been wonderful being able to enter the scene of a massive shindig with an overabundance of attendees dancing to overtly loud and explicit music and somehow not be on the verge of a mental breakdown. When they arrived, Naminé was about to make a run for it, but Kairi read her like a book and dragged the protestant Naminé into the extravagant scenery nonetheless.

The party was massive. Set on the already impressively-sized beach, it seemed like the entirety of the neighborhood's youth were in attendance. Teens and young adults of all variety, both half-naked and fully clothed, could be seen dancing in a big, sweaty bundle of pure body heat. The assigned act, apparently dubbed "The Melodious Nocturnes" played a cover of some popular hard-rock song on a stage dazzling with neon lights and even some mild pyromania. There were scrumptious spreads of food on display in a meticulously designed buffet (with chefs nearby to ensure nobody poisoned anything). There were a large number of tables. Some relaxed on beach chairs underneath stylish cabanas. Others swam in the ocean where friends and couples splashed one another jovially. There were various totem pole-themed lights illuminating the area with real fire. All of this scenery was accompanied by a cool evening air and the stars. Kairi was in awe of the contemporary beauty, while Naminé was stiff from shoulders to toes. She wondered who in the world could even afford all of this in the first place.

It wasn't like Naminé didn't _try_ to take a page from her sister's book and think positively for once and ignore the negative nancies nagging at her in the back of her mind, but all of that positivity flopped immediately upon arrival.

It was a miracle that they found an empty table. Naminé sat by her lonesome waiting for her sister to return with their orders. Her body contracted out of discomfort while longing for the safe and secure sanctuary that was her room in the company of Mocchi and her tablet. In fact, she realized what a missed opportunity it was to not bring her tablet. It would've been a perfect way to avoid inevitable social awkwardness. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Luckily, she did remember to bring her earbuds—the go-to modus operandi for social aversion. Truthfully, she wasn't listening to anything. She just took it as an opportunity to study others and observe how the average, mentally stable human communicated with their fellow mentally stable humans and tried to figure out how she could exist amongst them without sticking out like a sore thumb. She also took the time to make mental observations of the environment in reference for future sketches. Even she had to admit Destiny Islands truly was a gorgeous spectacle, brimming with gorgeous people on top of it.

Kairi returned with both orders in her possession: a strawberry shortcake milkshake for Kairi and a tall glass of paopu fruit juice for Naminé. She gave a tiny smile of appreciation before taking a small sip out of her drink. "You know Dad would kill us if he found out we came here, right?"

"You worry too much," Kairi said with a blithe smile. "Even if he does, I'll just tell him we were at a friend's house. Problem solved. So, try to smile and live a little, okay?"

Naminé sighed. "I'll try."

The song ended and the DJ's voice came booming from the speaker. "Yo! Make some noise for Saïx, Lexaeus, Demyx, Axel, and Larxene for rockin' the stage tonight! The Melodious Nocturnes!"

The entire dance floor erupted with cheers and whistles. The red-haired one, who had been playing the electric guitar, as well as the one with dirty blond hair who played some sort of sitar, were particularly relishing in the crowd's adoration. They probably would've stayed up there all night if not for Saïx tiredly prying them from the spotlight.

"Hey! Took me forever to find you," came an unfamiliar voice, at least to Naminé.

Kairi apparently recognized it judging by her delight towards the approaching source. "Xion!"

Kairi and the short-haired stranger shared a hug. Naminé kept her eyes trained on her thighs and inwardly prayed that the two would just start their own side conversation and forget she was there. Please don't introduce her, please don't introduce her, please don't introduce her, please don't—

"Xion, this is Naminé."

The aforementioned girl cursed under her breath.

"We're twins, if you couldn't already tell," Kairi said shyly. "Nam, this is Xion. We met online a while back and I finally got the chance to meet her in person a few weeks ago once we settled."

This forced the awkward girl to terminate her naive plan of keeping quiet and make eye contact with the newcomer. Her eyes darted back and forth between Xion and her rapidly tapping feet, despite the girl looking friendly enough. "H-H—'lo."

Xion didn't seem to mind the lackluster introduction. "Hiya, I'm Xion Valentine. Kairi speaks highly of you! She says you're a super talented artist."

Naminé's cheeks went bright red. "O-Oh. I see," she said quickly and almost below her breath.

Xion waited for more but it never came. A bead of sweat trailed down the side of Naminé's face. Should she have said more? Was Xion expecting more? Was that enough? She needed to think of something. Quick! But it had been fifteen seconds of awkward silence already. Was she too late? Did she miss her opportunity? Xion must've thought she was so weird. Maybe it would've better if she—

"Anyway, I got your text," Xion said, returning her attention to Kairi. "It wasn't easy trying to get over here through the dance floor. I nearly got twerked on by the entire party, guys included."

Kairi laughed. "Sounds kinky."

"You're coming to meet my friends, by the way. They're right over there," Xion said while motioning over to one of the nearby hot dog stands. Two guys talked amongst themselves before the guitarist from earlier, Axel, approached them to receive congratulatory high-fives. "They've been dying to meet you because I kinda never shut up about you. And, well, they saw your picture and got a bit excited. So, beware."

"Well, I'm flattered," Kairi said teasingly. "But of course I'm coming to meet them! You lead the way."

"Did you wanna come with?" Xion asked the tense blonde in a friendly voice. "Don't worry, I promise they don't bite. Most of the time. And if they do, I'd knock some sense into them," she added with a wink.

Xion was actually inviting her? Naminé figured she ruined her first impression. "O-Oh, no, no. That's okay, I think I'll just s-stay here," Naminé said, forcing a smile.

Kairi glared and marched over to her sister. "Now, wait a second. I brought you here so that you could—"

Xion noticed Naminé tense up at the approaching Kairi and held her friend back before she practically scared the poor girl to death. "Oh no, that's totally cool," Xion assured with a nervous smile. "If she doesn't want to, then she doesn't have to. But maybe later?"

Naminé was internally grateful for the clutch save from Xion. "Y-Y-Yeah."

Despite her disappointment, Kairi let Naminé win this one and allow Xion to drag her away by the forearm. Naminé was relieved. She could be alone again. Sure, it was a little lonely but at least she could go back to being invisible. Naminé plugged her ears once again and resumed people-watching. It only took five minutes before she started berating herself for everything she considered a mistake during her first introduction to Xion. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

At the other end of the party, Roxas was leaning against a hot dog stand occupied with some nachos and spoke casually with his tall, silver-haired friend before a certain redhead interrupted their exchange.

"So, how'd you guys like the new arrangement on the song?" Axel asked, his lips forming an overconfident grin. "Most of it was my own touch."

"It was excellent," said the toned silver-haired boy. "You know, if you turn the volume all the way down."

Axel was about to put his friend into an armlock before they were distracted by Xion and the unknown but incredibly attractive redhead approaching, both recognizing from Xion's phone. The boys released each other and sprayed their mouths with breath spray and slicked their hair back. Roxas shook his head.

"Look alive, gentlemen," Xion said upon their arrival. "This is the mysterious online friend I've been telling you guys about, Kairi Villiers. Kairi—this is Roxas Strife, Riku Miyano, and Lea Flynn."

"Axel," said boy corrected.

"Whatever," Xion returned. Nevertheless, the group exchanged friendly greetings.

"Yo," Roxas said with a cordial grin and a small salute despite being occupied with nachos. Riku gave her a wink and Axel raised his eyebrows suggestively. She made a mental note to watch out for the latter two. She was beginning to understand what Xion was talking about. She had to admit, they were all pretty cute in their own ways. In hindsight, most natives of Destiny Islands were known for being easy on the eyes, but it definitely did not fall short in living up to its reputation.

"Nice to meet you," Kairi greeted.

Riku took her hand and gave it a tender kiss before flashing a look bordering between self-assurance and self-absorption. "Nice to meet you, too. I almost would've mistaken you for a native."

Kairi rolled her eyes but maintained a smile. "You know, I _almost_ fell for that one, but then I remembered this probably isn't your first time pulling it on some lovelorn girl."

"Touché." Color him intrigued by a girl immune to his charms. "Xion already said this, but call me Riku. I'm a Creative Writing major at Estheim Hi—"

"Yeah, he's not important," Axel rudely interrupted, practically mugging Riku to the side. He put on his self-proclaimed lady-killer grin. "I, on the other hand, would be honored to give you the ol' tour of Destiny Islands and help ya break in a little easier. We redheads gotta stick together, feel me?"

"I'll be sure to keep my schedule open," she said, though she didn't plan on being alone with Lea in particular. "For Xion," she added teasingly.

Axel felt the blow of that rejection. Behind them, Roxas grinned. "Ouch. Maybe next time."

"Aw, shuddup," Axel cursed back. "It was worth a shot."

"Anyway," Riku said coolly. "Where're you from, Kairi?"

"My sister and I just moved here from Radiant Garden. We're over on 2000 Alexandros Street now." She figured if they were associated with Xion, then informing them of her address wouldn't be such a big deal.

Axel's ears fluttered at the sound of relatives. "A sister, you say?"

"Yeah. Twins," Kairi replied innocently.

"Twins?" Axel asked incredulously. Whether she realized it or not, Kairi was saying all of the magic words. "And where might I find this sister? If it ain't too much trouble, of course."

"Oh, uh, she's just over there," Kairi said with a nervous chuckle and motioning to the lone girl sitting at the dining table, breaking crackers in half and tossing them to the sand, watching the seagulls gobble them up. "She's very sweet, she's just a little shy." She sighed, as she felt the word "little" was a gross understatement.

Axel scanned the blonde dangerously. "A shy one, eh?" he muttered quietly to himself. He figured the quiet ones were always secretly the most libidinous. He cleared his throat. "I think I'll go break our other newbie in." But before Axel could take a step, Xion pinched him by the ear and jerked him back into place. "Ow, ow, ow! Not cool! What's your deal? I just wanted to say hi."

Xion gave a disapproving look and crossed her arms. "And have you simultaneously scar the poor girl for life in the process? I think not. You stay put."

Roxas was half-listening to the conversation by this point, being that he was much too captivated by the mysterious blonde sitting by herself. What caught his eye the most wasn't just her physical beauty, but the content smile on her face as she fed the incoming seagulls. He could sense a veiled melancholy beneath that smile. Her eyes would occasionally look up and examine the people around her and he couldn't tell if it was paranoia or envy. Or both. Still, he chuckled.

"Where'd the goofball go, anyway?" Xion asked, looking around and noticing they were missing someone.

"Goofball?" Kairi echoed. Then, as if timed perfectly, someone bumped into her from behind.

"Oh, whoopsh! Shorry about that!" said the faceless individual. It sounded like he was talking with a full mouth.

"Oh, it's totally fine." She turned around to lock eyes with a boy with the most unruly spiky brunet hair she'd probably ever seen. The mouthful of noodles and chopsticks in his right hand explained the weird accent. She felt her cheeks burn slightly out of embarrassment. "Oh, uh... hi."

The boy slurped the rest of his ramen with a dumb look on his face. "Hey there."

"Speak of the motherflippin' devil," said Xion as she leaned her elbow on his shoulder. "Kairi, the idiot who can't seem to look where he's going here is my brother. We're fraternal twins."

"Something like that," the boy said, rubbing the back of his head with a toothy grin. "Uh, and I'm guessing you're...?"

Kairi looked into his welcoming eyes and felt the ends of her lips perk up. "Kairi Villiers."

"Right. From the pictures," he said, thinking back. He already thought she was pretty, but the picture really didn't do her justice. "I'm Sora!"

Kairi wrapped her arms behind her back. "Well, someone certainly seems chipper."

Sora shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face. "Well, I always say you gotta try and think positive."

Kairi's face brightened. She was all about positivity. "I think we're gonna get along just fine."

Meanwhile, Naminé mindlessly tossed crackers to the seagulls. She always had a thing for animals. Sometimes she considered Mocchi her best friend. There was no need for words, no awkward introductions, no worry of betrayal or embarrassment—they were (usually) pure creatures capable of unconditional loyalty that humans couldn't always provide.

In fact, she knew of human disloyalty all too well thanks to a certain someone. It felt like yesterday when Naminé spoke to the long-distance boyfriend that left her heartbroken and even more paranoid than before. Which reminded her that he lived—

"Naminé?"

—in Destiny Islands.

She was certain that irony was playing a huge inside joke on her and assumed it must have been hilarious for a third-party spectator. But Naminé wasn't amused. In fact, she was terrified. This was someone who did wonders for her lack of self-esteem and there he was, haunting her again.

His name was Tidus Fleming. She met him over Mognet a few years ago. She wasn't expecting much initially but things eventually got spicier than she expected. It was her first real relationship. Tidus was extremely supportive in her time of grief. He was there when she needed to vent the pain away. He seemed sweet and considerate. Everything would've been perfect—should've been perfect—if not for one inconvenient detail.

Long-distance.

And logging on to video chat with her presumed boyfriend only to find another girl failing miserably to escape his room undetected wasn't a very fun experience. The rest was standard: jagged words were exchanged, people yelled, and tears were shed.

Needless to say, this was one of the many reasons why Naminé had no desire of leaving the house. She couldn't say she was surprised, but all hope for a smooth evening fizzled out in an instant. Luckily, she had her earphones plugged in. Maybe if she just avoided any trace of eye contact, she could subvert the situation entirely.

"Is that you?" Tidus said as he pulled one of her earbuds away, which Naminé noted as being quite rude. "Whoa! It is you!" Tidus said incredulously, placing his hands on his waist. "Wow, I-I don't believe it! You're actually here? You... you look great, by the way. Just how I remember you."

Her breathing picked up. Where was Kairi when she needed her? She nestled her fist against her thumping chest. She couldn't force herself to make eye contact even if she wanted to. The memories just came flooding back. The distant pain of a broken heart mixed with crippling anxiety didn't mesh well together. "Th-Th-Th-Thank you..."

"Hey, uh, are you okay?" Tidus asked. "I know this is kinda weird, but I can get you some water... if you want."

"N-No, no," she sputtered. "I-I, uh... j-just moved here... few weeks ago..."

Tidus crossed his arms. "You could've told me. I would've shown you around."

Naminé tried to temper her breathing, but it wasn't doing her much good. "O-Oh. S-Sorry..."

"Well, it's nothing to apologize for, but..." He scratched the back of his head. "You sure you're okay? You seem different than I remember."

"I-I-I, uh—"

"Tidus," sang a high-pitched squeak. "Is everything okay?" Naminé turned to find another girl headed their way, this time with brunette hair styled as a big curl that swooped up on each side. Naminé knew this girl. It was the girl she saw Tidus with when she contacted him.

"I was on the way, Selph," Tidus said. "I just got a little sidetracked. This is, uh... you remember Naminé, don't you?"

Selphie eyed the blonde up and down, dissecting her carefully, leaving no stone unturned. Considering the hoops she had to jump through to convince Tidus that a long-distance relationship was a doomed endeavor, she assumed this Naminé was a threat. Tidus must've really cared about her to resist temptation for so long.

"Oh, yeah! The girl from Mognet!" Selphie chirped. "How have you been, girl?"

This girl was already making Naminé uncomfortable. More than she already was. She could feel the insincerity exuding from her tone. "F-Fine."

"That's gooooood," Selphie said. "Hey, I know we had sort of a rocky start. Y'know, me sleeping with your boyfriend and making him mine and all." She laughed as if she weren't aware of the awkward atmosphere she was creating. Tidus noticeably stiffened. "But I just hope there's no hard feelings?"

Naminé tapped her foot and kept her hands stuffed into the crease of her thighs. "O-Oh, not at all. I-I understand—long-distance can be... trying."

Tidus clenched a fist while repressing his own guilt. He never meant to hurt Naminé. Selphie was just persistent. It seemed like she always got what she wanted.

"Aww, I'm glad we could sort this out!" Selphie continued. "I hope you'll be sticking around! I'd love to show you around town whenever you're not busy, and—" Selphie cut herself short when she "accidentally" spilled her drink all over Naminé's head. The artist was left paralyzed, watching the raspberry liquid drip from her hair to the lens of her glasses to her white A-line dress overlapped with a grey cardigan. The act created a scene and made a few nearby become onlookers, including Kairi and her new acquaintances.

Xion was already rolling up her sleeves, ready to knock the lipstick off Selphie for that one. "Oh, _hell_ no!"

Selphie gasped, faking her own shock. "Oh, my god! I am _so_ sorry! Do you need some napkins or something? I can get you some napkins!"

Naminé wasn't listening. She was too busy imploding from the inside. This was the absolute last thing she wanted—being the center of attention. She could feel their eyes. She didn't know what to do.

"Hey!" Kairi said, stepping into the fray with Xion for backup. "What the hell is your problem?"

"I'm so sorry," Selphie insisted. "Is she with you? I promise it was an accident! Ugh, I just get so clumsy sometimes when I'm excited." She shrugged but didn't fail to notice that even Tidus was giving her a disapproving look.

Roxas didn't believe her for a second. He and Selphie went to the same school, and she had a reputation for being catty. "Yeah, sure," he said. "Just like it was an accident when you _forgot_ to give Yuna Toriyama her clothes back while she was in the locker room showers last year and humiliated her in front of the entire class."

Selphie scowled at him. "How rude. Do you believe every rumor you hear?"

"Cut the shit, Selph," Xion barked. "I was there. The bottom line is that you're way too possessive of Tidus."

Naminé, on the other hand, was too embarrassed to look up. Her breathing was out of control and she felt like she was going to puke. The eyes—they were burrowing into her. She couldn't handle the pressure. She couldn't deal with the attention. She couldn't tell if their eyes were full of sympathy, pity, or apathy. Everything was hazy and her heart rate must've been going through the roof. Feeling like she was bound to implode at any moment, she did the only thing she could do.

She ran away.

"Wait, Naminé!"

Naminé didn't hear her sister call after her. She was trapped in her own thoughts and continued running down the road that she and Kairi tread on foot earlier after being dropped off. She had no idea where she was going and she didn't have the strength to care. She just ran away and hope to make it home safe and sound.

Without hesitating, Roxas chased after her.

Xion was already rolling up her sleeves, ready to knock the lipstick off Selphie for that one. "Oh, hell no!"

Sora held Xion back by holding onto her arm. Her first instinct was to send him a glare and shirk herself away from him but the look on his face was enough to calm her. Sora sent a scowl at Selphie himself. "Don't even bother, Sis."

Xion restrained herself but didn't stop burrowing daggers into Selphie.

"I'll go get her," Kairi said, beginning to chase after her.

"We'll come with," Xion said on Sora's behalf. Which he was fine with since he was planning on stepping in to help anyway.

Before they could run away, Kairi stopped before Selphie and shot an intense stare. "You stay away from my sister."

Selphie gasped, pretending to be offended at the mere notion she would do this intentional. Kairi, Sora, and Xion hurried into the distance. They came across an intersection without Naminé or Roxas in sight and were clueless on which way to go. Kairi bit her lip out of frustration before they ran down the opposite direction that Naminé took.

Selphie figured she was in the clear, before she turned around to see both Riku and Axel towering over her with their arms crossed. She looked towards her boyfriend for support. "Tidus!"

But Tidus only made a poor attempt at looking inconspicuous and whistled.

* * *

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

Naminé had been telling herself that all evening. She was stupid enough to allow Kairi to convince her to go to this dumb party. What was she thinking? She just wasn't designed to be a people person. Why couldn't Kairi just see that?

Naminé ran along a dark road that was steep and gradually tilted upwards. She had to take off her glasses in order to run freely, making her vision blurred. She just had to trust herself to keep going. She had to get away from that stupid party and away from the prying eyes of those onlookers. She would go back to ensure Kairi she was okay after she cooled down a little.

Then her mind began to clear. When she realized she was in a brand new world with no sense of direction, she stopped in her tracks. What was she doing? Where did she think she could go? She had no idea how to get back home from there. She acted on impulse. Maybe she should just go back before she was really lost. Her first instinct was to pull out her phone and call Kairi. Just her luck, her phone was dead. It looked like she would just have to retrace her steps.

When Naminé turned around, she bumped into someone and it sent her falling flat on her bottom. What just happened? Her head was aching and she attempted to groan the pain away. In a daze, she slowly regained her consciousness. That's when she noticed the blond boy staring at her like an optometrist. Though, she couldn't quite make out the finer details due to not having her glasses. Still, she gulped. She could make out their proximity at least, and it was enough to get her cheeks to heat up. For a moment, neither of them spoke. They just stared.

"Sorry about that," was the first thing the boy said. "I kinda bumped into you on accident. In my defense, it was dark. Are you okay?"

Realizing that this was a person and not a figment of her imagination, Naminé recoiled with quivering lips. Xion was one thing—she was associated with her sister, plus she was a fellow member of the female variety. But a complete stranger of the opposite sex? That was death. She was tongue-tied.

She eventually noticed through her blurry vision that the unfamiliar boy staring at her confusedly while he scanned her stunted expression. Realizing she couldn't find the proper words, she pursed her lips to keep them relatively steady and nodded her head vehemently.

Roxas put on a relieved smile, thankful that the girl could understand him. "Good." After helping her up to her feet, he handed over her glasses. "Here. You dropped these."

Unfortunately, one of the rims of her glasses broke and wouldn't stay situated on her ears, meaning she would have to be blind as a bat until she taped it back together. She opened her mouth to say thank you but all that came out were her incoherent and shaky exhales.

Roxas noticed her lips shivering and recalled what Kairi said earlier. He did his best to put her mind at ease. "Hey, I know this is all probably a little new to you. Destiny Islands can be... a little alien and ruthless to the new guys. But don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you."

Naminé opened her mouth to speak, to clarify that she wasn't afraid of him specifically, but of the situation. But she held her tongue when she couldn't figure out how to say it and shut her eyes. She was screaming on the inside. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she bring herself to speak? It was like her voice was lodged in her throat and refused to resurface. This should not have been this difficult. And yet, every time she opened her mouth, her brain froze.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she let out a soft hiccup. Concern overcame Roxas and he knelt down to get a better look at her. Naminé felt like a child lost in the supermarket. She was too ashamed to look at the stranger any longer and turned on her heel, walking as fast as she could and hoping the boy would save himself the headache and leave.

Roxas was taken aback for a moment. She just walked away from him without saying a word. And was she... crying? The majority probably would have taken the hint and headed for the hills, but Roxas didn't fit in that category. Not when he sensed that something was severely wrong. "Hey, wait up!"

Naminé didn't respond nor did she stop walking. She figured he would give up eventually. All she cared about was getting home and putting this shoddy day to an end. She didn't know where to go but as long as she could get away from this situation, she could put herself at ease.

Roxas caught up to her and walked backwards in an attempt to get a good look at her and casually stuck his hands in his pockets. "So, where we goin'?"

Naminé's eyes almost bulged out of her sockets but thankfully her bangs kept her eyes hidden from the stranger. What was that supposed to mean? Maybe this guy wasn't so nice and was just some creep looking to take advantage of her. After all, it was getting dark out. Naminé paced faster but the boy was able to keep up.

"I get the feeling that I may not be wanted here," Roxas said with a nervous chuckle. "Well, too bad. You don't have to trust me, but I don't exactly feel comfortable letting you walk around by yourself this late at night. You'll just have to forgive my persistence, I suppose."

Naminé didn't respond. She wasn't sure if he was trustworthy or not, but there wasn't much she could do about him following her. It wasn't like she had anything that could act as self defense on her. But he was starting to become a nuisance.

"Stimulating conversation, by the way," Roxas quipped. She didn't spare him a glance, making his smirk slowly faded away. How long was she going to keep up the tough girl act? He was also getting tired of walking. He stepped in front of her path, forcing her to stop. Naminé recoiled timidly and her breathing picked up noticeably, her forehead became humid, and sweat began to—

"Hey." Roxas gently placed his hands on her shoulders, his touch making her shiver. "You're okay. Relax."

Slowly but surely, Naminé's breathing gradually came down to a more steady pace, but her brain was still a complete jumbled mess. She could barely look him in the eye, but it helped that her vision was blurred.

"I get it, this is new territory for you. You're a little nervous. But I'm not letting you walk around here alone when there's a party full of intoxicated people less than a block from here, okay?" After a moment of silence, the girl nodded. Roxas carefully released her. "You know, I have a car parked a few yards from here. I can take you wherever you need to go. You're with Kairi?" Again, he only received a nod and no vocal response. "It's 2000 Alexandros Street, right? I can take you there. You don't have to say anything if it makes you uncomfortable."

He sounded sincere but Naminé wasn't sure if she was a good judge of character. But perhaps that was irrelevant, considering she wanted to get home and had zero clue where to go. Did she really have a choice? Her voice seemed to be failing her. Her phone was dead. She didn't even know how to get back to the party to find out where Kairi was. She had no munny. No idea where she was. She just had to hope this guy was as genuine as he seemed. She nodded in response to his inquiry.

Roxas sighed with relief. The last thing he wanted was for this girl to get chewed up by some lurker. Destiny Islands was a fairly peaceful paradise but it wasn't immune to its fair share of creeps. He noticed she was still soaking wet thanks to Selphie, which probably wasn't very comfortable in the midst of this cool evening weather. He removed his bomber jacket and placed it around her shoulders. She protested at first through nervous hand gestures and facial expressions, but he just laughed before insisting. "Take it."

Naminé decided not to argue with him and accepted the offer.

It was an uncomfortably quiet, but short walk to his car. Naminé followed behind Roxas meekly, her hands clasped around her broken glasses. Roxas didn't mind the silence much. At this point, he figured she was simply incapable of producing sound with her vocal cords and let her be.

They reached a black Sedan. The pair buckled in and were on their way to find Naminé's home. It was only a ten-minute drive. Naminé set her glasses to the side and kept her eyes trained on her thumbs and her thoughts on the texture of her skin. She didn't look up once. Roxas eventually put on some soft music to fill the air as he drove down the serene streets. It was empty since almost everybody was at the party.

Eventually, he broke the silence. "Sorry if I scared ya back there." She peered towards him slightly. "Like I said, I understand. You're new here, there's a bunch of people you've never met, somebody decides to be a jerk to you for no good reason—it's overwhelming. Moving isn't easy. I should know, I was new here a long time ago myself."

Wasn't he a native? That piqued her curiosity a bit. But the boy waved it off.

"A story for another time." He gave her a smile. "Just want you to know that it's okay to be afraid. I'm not judging."

Naminé blinked. It seemed she really did have the wrong idea. She felt bad for assuming the worst of him. The boy didn't say anything for the rest of the trip but it wasn't any longer than three minutes before they pulled up to her house on Alexandros. It was a nice two-story house.

"Well, here we are," said Roxas, putting the car on neutral. "Guess I'll be seein' you around then."

Naminé looked as if she was about to say something, but chickened out at the last second and quickly left his car after leaving his jacket on the passenger seat. She wasted no time retrieving her key and hurrying inside without looking back once.

What a strange girl. Roxas didn't even get a chance to ask for her name, but then again, it might have been impossible for her to vocalize it. Besides, he'd seen enough lame romantic comedies that Xion would force him to endure with her to get a feeling this wasn't the last he'd seen of her.

Yeah, right.

Roxas chuckled at the thought while shifting the gear and speeding back the way he came.

When Naminé shut the door, she took in the familiar lemon scent of their home. After a quick inspection of the house, she concluded that her father wasn't back yet. She ran upstairs and into her room, slamming the door shut and locking it. Mocchi rose her head curiously as she was curled up on Naminé's bed. Naminé was safe. Therefore, she was free to let the waterworks come as they pleased.

She kept a hand on her doorknob as she slid to her knees with her head hung low. The peach carpet absorbed her tears. She couldn't believe was she so pathetic that she couldn't even speak to the mysterious boy that not only saved her but drove her home safely. She couldn't even say thank you. She opened her eyes to find Mocchi looking up at her and reaching up to her face. Naminé smiled sadly.

After washing her hair and face, she changed out of her damp clothes and dumped them into a pile of dirty laundry before slipping into something more comfortable. Never again would she let Kairi convince her to do something when her gut adamantly disagreed. She slithered to her bed with Mocchi and plopped onto her pillow face-first, feeling like she was ready to get smitten by a bolt of lightning.

It wasn't long before Kairi entered the house. She looked exhausted as if she just ran for some Olympic track team. She was relieved when Roxas called Xion to inform them Naminé was safe and sound. She had circled the block in search of her missing sister for what felt like forever.

Kairi hurried up the stairs and wasted no time knocking on her sister's door. "Naminé? I know you're in there. And I know you can hear me." She received silence in return, which was about what she expected. "Okay... maybe I deserve the silent treatment a bit. But please just hear me out: I am so, so sorry for making you go through that. I just didn't think that, well... that would happen." She bit her lip. "I know he lived here but Destiny Islands is so populated and I never would've thought the chances that we'd run into—a-anyways. It's on me. So, like... don't be too hard on yourself, okay?"

Fully aware of her sister's poor sleeping habits, she was positive Naminé wasn't asleep. Kairi figured she just needed to give her some space and hope she wasn't disowned by tomorrow.

"I'll... be here if you want to talk about it. Goodnight," Kairi said before reluctantly making her way to the bathroom to wash her face.

Grateful that Kairi gave up sooner rather than later, Naminé clutched onto her blankets as she gazed at the stars twinkling beneath a dark blue sky, dried tears staining her cheeks as Mocchi bundled up next to her. She sniffled.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid."

_**Dearly Beloved** _


	2. Memories of Recklessness

Roxas,

When we were kids, you were an idiot.

Okay, I'm sorry. Maybe that's a little harsh.

Reckless is probably a better word. I blame Lea for being a questionable influence on you for the majority of your life (sorry if you're reading this, Lea. You know I love you). But it's okay. A little recklessness is fine every once in awhile. It pushes us into new territory and forces us to think outside of the box. But I think foresight is important too, and you've always had a healthy medium of both.

I still remember all of the silly pranks you and Lea (and sometimes Xion) would do to us. Like when you guys tricked poor Sora into drinking milk mixed with yakisoba and a hard boiled egg? Gross. There was that one time when Xion secretly replaced Riku's sugar with salt for his beloved morning coffee. But I'll never forgive you for replacing the soap dispenser with food coloring. My hands were green for hours!

You and Lea's dumb pranks taught me to be a little reckless, too. I remember that time we went to the hotel and I poured hot sauce into your mouth while you were asleep. Then I immediately felt bad once you started choking. But it served you right! That's what happens when you mess with a girl's hair conditioner. Sorry-not-sorry.

Okay, no. I'm a little sorry. Clearly, I am not naturally savage like you guys.

But you definitely taught me that there's a place for recklessness. After all, I don't think we would have ever truly met if it weren't for you being rash. And I'm not referring to the party. You know what I'm talking about, don't you?

It was the time you almost gave me a heart attack.

* * *

When summoned to the couch, Kairi and Naminé knew they were in trouble.

The tradition had been established since their early childhood and was an instant signal for a lecture. Their father seemed to treat the situation as if it were an interrogation room (befitting for his job as a police investigator). What made it worse was the fact that they were kept in the dark for whatever reason it was they were in trouble for, only adding to their dread.

Their father, Snow Villiers, was an investigator for the Destiny Islands Police Department. He was no stranger to confrontations with criminals. Unfortunately for the girls, a similar energy translated whenever he felt the need to discipline them. He towered over them with his chest protruding and his arms folded. The temperature seemed to rise by the millisecond. The girls avoided eye contact with him; Kairi rapidly tapped her index finger against the armrest while Naminé kept her hands clasped in the crease of her thighs to hide her sweaty palms. After intentionally torturing his daughters for five minutes, Snow decided to break the painful silence and cut to the chase.

"You two have some explaining to do."

"She did it!" the twins instantly synchronized while pointing at the other accusingly.

Snow pinched the bridge of his nose. They seemed to always revert back to being children whenever called to the couch. "I want to know where you two were last night."

The two exchanged quick glances before fabricating exteriors of ignorance. "Where we were...?" Kairi asked with an air of nonchalance. "Here, of course. Not sure where else we could've gone."

"Is that so?"

"Yup!"

Snow squinted at her. "Are you sure?"

His shift in demeanor caused Kairi to become noticeably skittish. "Uh, yeah."

"You don't sound sure," he pressed.

"What makes you say that?" Kairi asked with a nervous giggle and putting two thumbs up. "I'm t-totally sure! Sure as sure can be, that's me!" Naminé began to squirm.

"Hm." Snow raised an eyebrow. "Final answer: yes or no?"

Kairi caught a glimpse of her sister; her eyes were fearful and large as she briskly shook her head, but Kairi felt that their father backed her into a corner. "Y... Yes?" Naminé groaned and buried her face into her hands. Disappointed with their dishonesty, Snow set a phone with a seashell-themed case onto the glass coffee table. "That's my phone," said the perplexed redhead. "Wait, is that...?"

Kairi couldn't finish her sentence as she and Naminé examined the contents displayed on the screen: it was a digital receipt for a ride for two at seven-thirty from the night before.

"You both know that seven is the curfew. No if, ands, or buts about it," Snow said in a stern voice. He slowly opened his eyes. "So, care to explain this?"

Kairi took offense at the notion of him snooping around on her phone. "This is a total invasion of my privacy, you know!"

Snow wasn't fazed. "I'm not the one who left it on the sink without having it on time out. Needless to say, I wouldn't call that an effective strategy for keeping secrets."

Kairi put a finger to her chin. "Ohhh. I was wondering where I left it. I even tried calling it with the house phone, thinking it was in my room."

"Kairi!" Naminé yelled, unable to comprehend how it was possible to make such a massive oversight in such a short timespan. She knew Kairi not putting her phone on timeout would bite her in the butt.

"I-I was exhausted, okay?" Kairi said defensively. It dawned on her that she forgot to grab her phone after washing her face. Kairi was always more forgetful of the two, but she usually didn't make such critical mistakes. Kairi could feel her sister's eyes burrow holes into the side of her neck. She offered an apologetic smile in hopes of mending the tension.

Snow stomped, causing the sisters to squeal and embrace each other for comfort. "Eyes on me," he demanded. The twins nodded meekly. After a deep sigh, he rubbed his eyes and continued. "Regardless, I already had my suspicions. The whole damn town was buzzing yesterday. I was just too caught up with work to catch up on the details. But knowing a certain someone..." He went out of his way to look at Kairi specifically, "...that didn't stop me from suspecting something might be up. So, I'm going to ask this one more time: where were you two last night?"

Kairi and Naminé accepted their defeat and released each other, lowering their heads in shame. "Promise you won't get mad?" Naminé asked in a suppressed voice.

Snow deterred his gaze. He wanted to trust his daughters, but he was terrified of the idea of them doing something he didn't approve. It often clouded his judgment. Inside, he knew he couldn't make such a promise, but he could at least give it a shot. "I... I'll _try_ to not get angry," Snow said hesitantly. "What's important is that I get the truth. That's all."

Kairi cleared her throat and fidgeted in her seat slightly. "W-Well, we were kinda sorta maybe barely not really hardly somewhat but also unofficially," she said, wincing as she braced herself, "...at the annual Destiny Islands Beach Party?"

"A party?!" Snow repeated, his temper already flaring. Kairi and Naminé winced at the sudden volume inflation of his voice.

"So much for not getting angry," Kairi mumbled, though it was loud enough for Snow to hear.

"I said I would try."

"Oh, and I'm sure you gave it your all," Kairi returned bitterly. Snow clenched his teeth.

"What kind of party was it?"

Kairi opened her mouth to tell him that it was a small, harmless study session for summer homework before Naminé interjected. "W-We didn't do anything crazy!" she said pleadingly. "We made sure not drink alcohol or go home with any boys! Promise!"

Snow looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel. "You're telling me there were boys _and_ booze at this party?"

This time it was Kairi's turn to glare at Naminé. In a similar fashion, the blonde gave an apologetic smile to her sister. Kairi sighed but decided to forgive her since Naminé wasn't used to talking her way out of trouble.

Snow pinched his nose. "Are you two insane? Sneaking out behind my back? To a party? With other guys and—you _can't_ do that."

"I get that you're upset, and you honestly have every right to be," Kairi said, trying to be mindful of her tone to calm him down. "We weren't even there long, but c'mon. You can't expect us to not explore this place. It's _thee_ Destiny Islands. At the very least, can't you trust us to not do anything we know you wouldn't want us doing?"

"Things I wouldn't want you doing? You mean, like going to a party past curfew?" Snow shot back.

"...Touché," Kairi conceded, realizing she couldn't deny his own accusation.

"Dad, please," Naminé said, refusing to open her eyes. "I promise we didn't do anything."

Her voice seemed to do the trick. Recognizing their guilt, Snow took a deep breath and softened his tone of voice. "Look, I don't say this to be difficult. And I know you guys don't want to be difficult. I understand that this family has had..." Snow made a quick glance at Naminé and chose his next words carefully, "...some issues. But there are dangers lurking out there every day. Anything can happen and you guys don't know what's out there."

"So, you're saying you do?" Kairi asked.

"Yes, I do." Snow clenched his fist. "In fact, it's _because_ I know that makes me scared. Do you understand?"

"Dad, the last thing we want is to scare you," Kairi explained gently. "But the sad truth is that there will always be dangers out there. Do you really think sheltering us from the entire world is somehow a better alternative? Haven't you noticed how Naminé is terrified of going outside and experiencing new things? Does it seem healthy to you?"

He noticed Naminé fidget at the sound of her name and felt something in his chest. Snow shook the feelings away. "It's for her own protection. And yours, too."

"You call that protection?" Kairi suggested with slight animosity.

"Naminé can leave if she wants."

"She doesn't want to because she's scared. It's not like you're making it any better."

"Enough!" Snow shouted. "I'm doing what needs to be done to keep this family together. And I don't need to come home to some sensationalized media coverage about one of my daughters getting snatched up by some punk while they were roaming the streets at midnight. If either of you leave the house, I want you back here by seven-thirty sharp. That goes double for you, Kairi. I don't want you dragging your sister into your shenanigans anymore. Am I understood?"

After a glaring contest between Kairi and her father, with Naminé's eyes darting back and forth between them, the former leaned back into her seat. "Sure, Daddy. Whatever you say."

Snow rubbed the back of his neck once the air settled. "You're both good kids. I don't want you to think I don't trust you. It's the rest of the world I don't trust. I can't control what the world does to you. All I can do is my best to protect the only things I have left in it. I just want you to understand."

Kairi calmed her own nerves and gradually found the empathy to understand his position. She still found him impetuous and paranoid, but she knew it wasn't without warranty. "I'm gonna head out," Kairi said as rose from her seat and made her way towards the stairs. She stopped before taking the first step. "Sorry for worrying you."

"Sorry for yelling," Snow apologized in return. Before long, Kairi made herself scarce. Once the sound of her footsteps fell into silence, Snow exhaled deeply and massaged his neck. "That one is going to be the end of me."

Naminé understood his frustration. While Kairi was never overtly or even consciously rebellious, she was certainly more headstrong of the two and gave their father the most trouble. But Kairi always meant well. Snow cleared his throat and opted to take a seat next to his remaining daughter.

"So," he started. "A party, huh?"

"Yeah," she said somewhat plainly. "Not totally out of character at all, right?"

"That's definitely one way to look at it," Snow said with a hint of a smile. She smiled back. A more comfortable silence took over for a few beats until Snow eased back into the conversation. "It's not that I'm trying to shelter you—I know I might be a little, er, overbearing sometimes. It's just ever since your mother..."

"I know," Naminé said, softly touching his arm. "You don't have to explain yourself."

Snow nodded, repressing the painful memories. He looked over at her and decided to bring up one of the many elephants in the room. "What happened to your glasses?"

Naminé bit her lip. "I... lost them."

"Again?" Snow asked tiredly. "Fine, Velma. I'll be sure to call for an appointment with the eye doctor later on."

She gave a meek, but appreciative smile. "Thanks..."

Snow was always a lot more cautious whenever speaking with Naminé than Kairi. When Kairi wasn't around, Naminé would be alone in her room cutting any ties from the outside world. "So... did you at least have fun? The party, I mean. How was it?"

Sparse memories of gyrating hips swaying to overtly loud music and the smell of sweat and shame pervading the air came flooding back to Naminé in an instant. It made her shudder. "Let's just say it made me want to jump off a cliff."

Snow shook his head. "Overdramatic as always."

Naminé grinned humorlessly. "You'd be surprised." Snow began looking at her more intently, catching her by surprise. "Um, what is it?"

"Meet any boys?"

The question made Naminé go red. Inside, her stomach turned after recalling the mysterious boy who saved her in what she considered to be the most conveniently cliché experience of her life. She shook the thoughts away, not wanting to give any indication towards her overprotective father. "What would you do if I said yes?"

"I'd kill him."

She wasn't surprised by the response, already embarrassed by the prospect of her father scaring away any potential suitors in the distant future. She then remembered how she neglected to thank the boy from the party and the likelihood of him being interested in seeing her again being significantly low after such a sour first impression. The thought was depressing, but she did her best to hide it.

"Well, you don't need to worry about that."

"You sure?" Snow smashed his fist into his palm. "Because I'll do it. I'll wreck the bastard."

"Knock it off," she said, nudging him in the side a bit. "I didn't meet anybody, anyway."

Snow detected a soft melancholy in her eyes and the slight twitch at the corners of her lips didn't go unnoticed. For a split second, he questioned his own convictions. While he would never admit it out loud, Kairi was right about one thing: Naminé didn't seem to be doing very well. She never looked miserable, but she never looked happy. She always looked exhausted and never got enough exercise.

Then he remembered when his wife was sent to the emergency room with her blood on the hands of someone he thought he could trust. It reminded him that the world wasn't a carefree place where one could roam freely without an impending crisis waiting around the corner. It might have been tough, but it was for the best.

Pushing the thoughts aside, Snow stood from his seat. "I better get to work. I might be coming home late again tonight. I have to examine some old records for the latest perp and I might have to travel to a different district to find the right ones."

"Sounds like a whole lot of fun, fun, fun," Naminé said in an effort to lighten the mood, even if by just a little.

Snow overlapped his uniform with a trench coat and kissed his daughter on the forehead. "Love you."

"I love you, too."

He made his exit in a few swift movements. All alone again, Naminé sighed. She sat by her lonesome for a while until the events from the previous night came spiraling back in her mind, and without anymore distractions, she was susceptible to the usual train of self-beration that came with any social confrontation. She buried her face into the palms of her hands and began to sweat with embarrassment. It was time for a patented 'forever alone' party.

She rummaged through the freezer for a tub of mint chocolate chip ice cream and got to work.

* * *

"Roxas!"

He blinked out of his daydream. Reality settled and Roxas realized he was face to face with Xion who was aiming an irritated glower at him from across the counter of the Shoyu Shoyu juice bar.

"Yes, darling?"

She didn't seem very amused. "Thank God for Kairi. If I had to rely on you morons to listen to me for the rest of the summer, people would think I talk to myself."

He laughed nervously. "Of course I was listening. We were talking about... that thing."

Xion didn't waver against his sheepish smile. "Well, that _thing_ as you so elegantly put it, was me trying to tell you that my dad decided to put on his tough love pants and is forcing me and Sora to pay for our own college tuition. I get that he's trying to teach us independence or whatever, but it'd be nice if he'd just lend at least a little bit of a helping hand." She raised an eyebrow. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Honestly. Just a little tired."

"Liar!" She pointed at him accusingly. "Can't fool me, mister. I've known you for too long."

"You worry too much," he said offhandedly.

"Honestly, I don't think I worry enough." For a moment, she was nervous but decided to muster up the courage to affectionately place her hand onto his. "You should know by now that I, of all people, am totally willing to be your soundboard. Okay?"

"I appreciate the offer," Roxas said with a chuckle. "But it's nothing. Besides, I don't want to bring my best bud down." He lightly bumped her on the shoulder. His smile hurt her more than he realized.

She gave a forced smile along with an unenthusiastic chuckle. "Right... best buddies."

She put her thoughts aside and stared at him expectantly. Roxas began absentmindedly wiping the counter with one of the spare rags. He felt Xion's unwavering gaze and decided to change the subject. "So, college tuition, huh? What about Yuffie? I get the feeling that she wouldn't go for that."

Xion knew what he was doing, but decided to let it slide. She figured he would tell her once he was ready. It wasn't like he hadn't gone to her for venting purposes before. "Well, you're right about that. Mom totally chewed his butt over it the other day. She tried to get it through his thick skull that this is a stressful time for us kids at the tail end of high school suffering from restlessness and identity crisis. High school, part-time jobs, college apps, yada yada." She took a sip of her regular order, a Raspberry smoothie. "It's usually her who runs the house, but he set his foot down this time. She told me in private that she'd help me out, anyway."

"That doesn't surprise me. Your mom is notoriously awesome."

Xion smiled proudly. "Yeah, I know."

"And hot," said an approaching Axel. He plopped on the seat next to Xion.

Xion scowled at him. "Okay. But can you not?"

"What?" Axel asked, sincerely offended. "You oughta take it as a compliment. You look just like her. It means you'll be hot, too."

"The problem is that you're openly admitting to checking out my mom in the first place." Xion squinted. "Just don't raid her underwear drawer again and we won't have to file a restraining order."

Axel scoffed. "You still haven't let that go? I was thirteen. You wouldn't believe how horny I was."

Recalling that summer, Roxas remembered how much he laughed. Not to mention the fact that Axel had done something similar with Roxas' own mother. "Dude. You're seriously messed up in the head."

Axel, seeming more annoyed than usual, shot him a scowl. "Just for that, get me my usual chocolate. Go ahead. Whip it up for Big Daddy Axel."

Roxas always hated taking orders from Axel. If Roxas ever did the slightest thing to annoy him (or if he just felt like being a troll), Axel would make him regret it almost instantly and deliberately hurt whatever dignity he had left. But Roxas was on the clock, so he couldn't complain or refuse. Roxas tended to the order, filling his cup with chocolate.

"Yeah, fill that shit up, bitch," Axel said, beginning his teasing.

"You're not funny," Roxas deadpanned. Though he could hear Xion, who was familiar with the gag, failing to repress her snickering. He snapped his head around with a death glare, making her zip it immediately.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly.

"Hurry up, before you make me to whip out the prostate massager," Axel continued.

Roxas groaned. He couldn't wait to get off work. Thankfully, he only had twenty more minutes. "Extra peanut butter with that?"

"What am I, vegan? You're damn right I want that shit. Matter of fact, triple it." Roxas complied, adding a shot of whip cream for the finishing touch and begrudgingly offered it to Axel with a stone face. Axel snatched it and downed half of it almost instantly.

"Extra _extra_ peanut butter?" Xion gasped at the rarity notoriously designated for when Axel was especially perturbed. "Well, someone must be grumpy today."

"Just Larxene bullshit." Axel waved her off. "The usual."

"You know, there's a reason why they say dating a fellow bandmate is problematic," Roxas said.

"You guys break up and get back together like every other week. You should consider couples counseling," Xion riffed.

"No," Axel deadpanned.

Roxas sighed. "What is it this time?"

"She agrees to have an open relationship, but then gets mad when I ask her about lookin' into candidates for a potential threesome when she didn't object to us experimentin' with other folks in the first place. Like c'mon. We're rockers! If we get famous, we're gonna have males and females diggin' to get into our pants. Might as well get used to it." Axel leaned against the back of his seat and turned towards Xion. "Women. Am I right?"

Xion didn't look amused at what she considered a tasteless joke, but decided not to humor him with a rebuttal. "Well, maybe if you used that brain of yours, that you seem to consistently neglect, and assessed the context clues for once, maybe it would've occurred to you that she doesn't _really_ want an open relationship and was just saying that to make you happy."

Axel groaned. "Now I'm supposed to be a mindreader? This shit is too complicated. At least the make up sex is amazin'. I tell ya, some real sheet gripplin' shit, man."

"T.M.I.," Xion said. She stopped when noticing Roxas leaning his chin against the palm of his hand, staring out into space again. "Okay, seriously. What's going on?"

"Hm?" Roxas hummed.

"You're doing that thing where you zone out every twenty seconds and we have to pull teeth just to get you to open up about it," Xion answered. "Don't try to deny it this time either. My bestie senses are tingling."

Roxas sighed. "McDuck Enterprises."

"Aw, man," Axel said, looking genuinely concerned. "Don't tell me they didn't accept you."

"No, I haven't applied yet," Roxas said, shaking his head. "But I was looking into it after the party last night and realized I didn't qualify for the requirements of the program."

"What kinda requirements?" Axel asked.

"Well, it starts in about a month," Roxas began. "It's in the summer, so I'm out of luck if I don't go this year. I'll have to wait until next year. One of the tests is a competition where you build your own ships with gummi blocks. But the only way to enter is if you have a partner."

"Sounds like a tall order, doesn't it?" Xion noted sympathetically. "Can't they just pair you guys up?"

"Well, I would've already been paired up by now but I never entered the prerequisite classes last year," Roxas said. "Otherwise, I would've got assigned with someone. But my schedule never had enough room."

Xion and Axel exchanged looks. "Damn, man. That's a bummer," Axel said. "You know I'd totally go with you, but my pops is bootin' me off to Traverse Town to get in some community service hours. Can't catch a break with that guy. But maybe with a little convincin' I can—"

"Don't worry about it." Roxas waved it off. "I know you and your dad aren't the closest. I wouldn't want to cause any more of a riff."

"Tch. You can say that again," Axel agreed, taking a drink from his smoothie.

Xion shifted in her seat, her eyes trained on her lap. She glanced over at Axel and, as expected, he signaled for her to make a move. "Um. Well, Roxas, that's quite the predicament you have there."

"Yeah," he sighed.

Axel obnoxiously cleared his throat, resulting in an oblivious Roxas and an annoyed Xion. "Well, you know," she continued. "I could go with you, if you want. Or something. I dunno. It's up to you," she spoke quickly.

"I appreciate it, Xi. But I know you got your work cut out for you trying to get into Twilight University. This program won't really mean much to them, so it'd be a waste of time."

"Well, yeah, but—" She wanted to say that whether it benefitted her or not wasn't the issue as long as she could spend some time with him. But fearing the potential results that a confession like that would produce, not to mention how Axel would never let her live it down, she refrained from vocalizing the thoughts. "Look, you can rely on me sometimes, Roxas. You're... my best friend, you know."

"Right back at ya!" Roxas returned. He took ahold of her hands. "Which is why, as your best friend, I'm looking out for your future and telling you not to waste your time with this. You deserve better than to be dragged into my messes."

"Yeah, but—"

"No buts!" Roxas interrupted. "Unlike some other people sitting at this counter, whose name I won't mention, you've got too much going for you. Don't sweat it. What you need, Ms. Valentine, is a part-time job to start saving up for your tuition."

"Just for that, I want another round, asshole," Axel said in the background.

Xion did her best to give him a smile, though it was painful. His words felt like an indirect rejection. "That's really sweet, Roxas."

"Scraggly!" called a gruff voice from the back. "Get yer ass back here and help me clean this, will ya?"

"Coming!" Roxas called out to his boss, Cid Highwind. After Roxas disappeared into the back, Axel gave Xion a look.

"What?" she asked, her frustration evident.

"How many times have I told ya to just be straightforward with that idiot? He's as dense as it gets."

"That's ironic, coming from you."

Axel smirked. "But you know I'm right."

Xion bit her lip. She conceded, but she wouldn't admit it out loud. She was too concerned with the risks. The prospect of Roxas not returning her feelings would ring for disaster. Not to mention that even if things did work out, there would always be the looming fear of something messing it up. Losing him as a friend forever was a risk she wasn't sure she was willing to take.

"Look at you, havin' a little crush. That's cute," Axel teased. "Puberty will do that to ya."

Xion groaned and covered her eyes with her palms. Ever since Axel found out months ago when he came across her rehearsing lines to ask him out to prom (an endeavor which she chickened out of), he was shocked and never let her live it down since.

"Cut it out," Xion whined.

"He's gonna get swept up by someone else, sooner or later," Axel said, uncharacteristically serious. "He did seem awfully interested in that cute blonde from yesterday, yeah? And you know how picky our guy is."

Xion recalled the events of the party and cringed. The last thing she needed was a rival. Especially when she herself wasn't sure if she wanted to take that next step. She tightened her fists beneath the counter, unsure of what to do.

"Don't blow it," said Axel. "Although, blowin' it might actually be a very clear indication that—"

"This is not the time for sex innuendos!"

"Sex innuendos?" said a new voice behind them. They turned to find an amused Kairi. "Am I missing some context?"

"N-No, it's nothing," Xion insisted. She noticed Axel already checking Kairi out and kicked him in the shin, ignoring the pained cry that followed.

"Thanks for texting me the directions to this place," Kairi said, taking the seat available next to Xion. "I feel like I've been getting lost left and right lately."

"No problem," Xion said cheerily. "But I had to show you Shoyu Shoyu. It's basically our hangout spot."

Kairi observed the place. It didn't seem like a busy day, but there was something peaceful about the scenery. "Feels pretty retro. But in a good way."

"Sora and Riku couldn't make it today," Xion continued. "I think they're sparring for the struggle tournament coming up in about a week."

"There's a struggle tournament being held here?" Kairi asked, a bit stunned. "No way. We had those back in Radiant Garden, too! I entered one two summers ago. Came in third place."

"You can fight?" Xion inquired.

"I dabble," Kairi teased.

"Well, well," Axel began. "If you ever need a sparring partner, I—OW!"

"Please don't heed any of his offers," said an exhausted Xion.

"Hey, you," Roxas said upon his return, offering a friendly smile to the familiar redhead. "You're the one from last night."

"Oh, hey! You are also one of the ones from last night." She waved. "Roxas, was it?"

"That's what my adoring public call me," Roxas joked. Kairi giggled.

"I never got the chance to thank you," Kairi said appreciatively. "It was so dark out last night I could barely navigate the area. But you found my sister and brought her back home safely. I appreciate it so much, you have no idea."

Roxas rubbed his nose with an embarrassed smile. "Aww, don't sweat it. She seemed like she could use a friend."

"Tell me about it," Kairi agreed. "She could definitely use a few more friendly faces, but the problem is that I can't get her to come out of her comfort zone. I wanted to get her to come out today, but, as usual, she blew me off. She's a bit of a shut-in."

"I'm no expert on this kinda stuff, but I'm pretty sure that ain't healthy," Axel added.

"That's what I try to tell her," Kairi said. "But she won't listen to me. I know she's been through some things, but she worries me."

Xion offered a supportive touch. "I'm sure she appreciates it. Give her some time."

"Believe me, I've tried," Kairi scoffed. "Anyway, if I ever do manage to drag her out of her cave, try to be nice to her, okay? Just make her feel welcomed and at ease. Don't freak her out. Talking to you, Axel."

"Wait, what?" Axel said.

Xion smiled. "Oh, I think you're gonna fit in just fine."

Kairi laughed. "But since the rest of you don't worry me, I say be a little more aggressive. She's not exactly the most open person in the world, so you might need to break down a few barriers by force."

Roxas took that to heart. "I'll keep that in mind." His eyes settled on the clock. "Welp, my shift's over. I guess I better get going."

"You're not staying?" Xion asked. "But you love sea-salt ice cream after work."

"Gonna have to take a raincheck this time. I promised to help Mom out at her job tonight and I wanted to take a nap first. But hey, you can always show the newbie a good time," Roxas said in reference to Kairi.

"Don't worry, buddy." Axel appeared behind the girls and wrapped his arms around their shoulders. "I've got enough energy in my system to show these lovely ladies a good time." He then quickly shielded himself after Xion threatened to prepare her foot. "I'm kidding! Kidding."

Roxas shook his head. After gathering his items, he gave his friends a farewell before making his exit. Xion watched as he left. She hated how distant he seemed to be recently. She decided she was going to find a way to cheer him up. After all, it was her self-appointed job to keep Roxas in check.

Roxas tiredly threw his things into the backseat of his car and plunked himself into the driver seat. He looked over to his right and saw something he hadn't noticed when driving to work that morning.

It was a broken pair of glasses.

* * *

A blind Naminé had been glaring at the blurry tablet, a messy digital canvas of blues and whites, for the past hour and a half. It was as if it were mocking her for being such a dunce that she would forget something as vital to her daily activities as her glasses. Groaning, she flopped her head onto her desk, her long hair sprawling out around her exhausted figure.

Naminé dragged her head to the side and saw sunlight leaking through her window. Mocchi rested on the edge of her window sill with her tail dangling against the cool, tropical breeze. Beyond that, she noticed a pair of squirrels situated on the branch of the big tree right outside her window and took a moment to appreciate the beauty of mother nature. This ambiance only lasted for about fifteen seconds before the squirrels began performing obscene actions together that were too explicit for Naminé to ever want to save into her memory bank.

On second thought, mother nature was gross.

She took it as a personal attack, as if they were mocking her relationship status—a low blow considering the events that transpired the night before and her run-in with her ex.

"Oh, get a room!"

Disgusted by their shameless indecency, Naminé rose from her slump and went to close her curtains. Mocchi took notice and leapt from her position, deciding to leave the room and find a different lounge spot. But before Naminé could close the curtains, she was distracted by someone. She couldn't quite make out their identity thanks to her blurry vision, but they were approaching their house from the front sidewalk. It was only a few moments later when the doorbell rang.

Following a high-pitched squeak, the shy girl quickly recoiled from the window and clumsily scampered onto her bed, huddling up in the corner while clutching her sheets. Her mind raced with questions. Who was this person? Why were they here? How long was it going to take for them to go away? It would be fine if she didn't answer, right? Surely, it couldn't have been anybody important. She decided to convince herself it was just a pushy salesperson.

Meanwhile, Roxas leaned against the rails outlining the front porch of the address from the previous night. It was taking a bit for him to get an answer. Kairi already confirmed that her sister was here. Roxas doubted she was asleep at 3:47 PM. He tried ringing the doorbell a few more times and waited another five minutes.

He got nothing.

Gradually, his patience started to wear thin. He scoped out the house in hopes of spotting any inattentive silhouettes wandering around on the inside. He felt a little awkward and prayed that the neighbors didn't report him as an admittedly suspicious spectator. He eventually came across a second-story window on the left side of the house and, for a split second, noticed somebody inconspicuously peeking at him through their blinds. Instantly, the shadowy figure retreated. Roxas placed a hand on his hip and laughed, having a hunch as to who that might have been.

Kairi did say to be a little assertive.

Naminé had her back pinned against the wall, her chest accelerating a thousand miles per minute as she panted heavily. Did the stranger see her? Even if they didn't, they probably saw the blinds shake as she scurried away. She thought herself an idiot. If only Kairi were there; she normally answered the door when their father wasn't home. Naminé mindlessly chewed on her thumbnail.

After another minute, she dared to peek out of her window once more, this time making sure to be a lot more discreet. She squinted as the unidentifiable figure was seemingly walking away. With a sigh of relief, Naminé finally allowed herself to relax and melted on top of her bed, berating herself for being too cowardly to do something so simple.

But Roxas never left. He just continued scoping the house, looking for some kind of potential entryway. He wasn't one to quit easily, for better or worse. Soon, he came across their spacious backyard where a grill was situated on the patio. His eyes landed on a second-story room with a window visibly unhinged.

"Bingo."

Roxas inwardly justified his shady actions as his own way of teaching them a lesson about being careless in a new town. He dragged one of the few plastic chairs lying around and used it as a boost. The ledge of the window was easily attainable with one jump, and Roxas dangled on the side ledge. He felt a little bad for breaking and entering, but Roxas liked doing something a little reckless every once in awhile. Or maybe he needed to stop hanging out with Lea so much.

Shoving his thoughts aside, Roxas successfully pulled himself up. Everything went according to plan until the window ended up being a lot looser than he expected and he ended up tumbling into an overtly pink room, crashing onto the pale carpet with a loud thud.

Naminé looked up from her pillow, her eyes alert, internally swearing to herself she just heard something. Cautious, Naminé got up from her bed and placed an ear next to her door.

Roxas shook off the dizziness circulating his brain and gracelessly stood to his feet. He wasn't sure what got into him—he was never particularly clumsy. While massaging his scalp, Roxas finally observed the room he fell head first into. It was pink, fluffy, and small, but there were no blondes in sight. Roxas walked towards the door before he accidentally hit his shin against a wooden desk with a laptop on it.

"Shit, fuck, shit!" he cursed, lightly hopping on one leg. Roxas fell backward into a half-full bin of clean clothes. He was so far in that his legs extended towards the ceiling. The first thing that came to mind was how much Lea and Xion would never let him hear the end of it if they had the pleasure of witnessing such a humiliating experience. "Okay, maybe I kinda had this coming..." he said before struggling to remove himself from this bin that was much tighter than it needed to be.

Naminé heard another bump. Someone was definitely in the house and she was certain she didn't hear the front door. Naminé's heart began racing uncontrollably, ready to break the cartilage in her rib cage at any given moment. What was she supposed to do?

"P-P-Phone. G-Gotta find phone," she stuttered quietly. She rummaged through her desk in search of her last ray of hope. She managed to find it quickly. She didn't even bother typing in her password and went straight to emergency call, ready to dial 911, but her triumph was short-lived once the worst possible scenario became a reality.

Her phone died.

"Darn tootin', fudge cake, apple bottoms!" Naminé cursed underneath her breath with her own substitutes for swear words. She was out of ideas. She never had to face an intruder like this before. Judging by the location of the noise, it sounded like the intruder was located in Kairi's room. Her sister would be horrified to know some pervert came raiding her wardrobe in broad daylight.

"Shit, fuck, shit!" she heard muffled through the walls. On top of everything, this person sounded dangerously aggressive. She wasn't sure if she was up to the challenge but she had to do something. As much Naminé wanted to stay put, she wouldn't let some creep rob them blind while she sat back and did nothing. At the very least, she was doing this for Kairi.

Besides, she wasn't going into this completely inexperienced. Whenever visiting her and Kairi's cousin on their late mother's side, Lauriam, they had to endure him constantly trying to mess with their stuff. She eventually had to learn how to defend herself. She would just have to apply those techniques to this situation.

Finding an ounce of resolve, Naminé unplugged her lamp and kept it wrapped around her slippery fingers. The plan was to sneak past Kairi's room, go downstairs, and use the house phone to call the D.I.P.D. If caught, she would knock the intruder unconscious with her lamp. As she stepped outside of her room, she realized her fear was still very much intact and her resolve quickly weakened. She heard more rustling coming from down the hallway. The steps were at the opposite end, so she couldn't make a run for it. It was all or nothing.

Taking a deep breath, Naminé slowly but surely crept down the hallway, making sure she didn't make a sound. She had to be moving less than a mile per hour. The closer she came to her sister's room, the louder the grunts and curses became. As soon as she crept next to Kairi's room, the intruder bumped into the door, followed by a loud, "FUCK!"

She quietly squealed and rushed downstairs before they burst into the hallway. She made a beeline towards the kitchen. But once she got there, she went pale. The house phone was missing from its usual spot.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said in disbelief. She began looking wherever she could in search of the missing household item: under the sofa, in the laundry, even in Mocchi's bed. She was baffled at her own luck. Why was the house phone missing? Who could possibly need a house phone that bad with the convenience of smartphones?

It left her with no other option.

For a while, Naminé just stared at the steps, beyond terrified of facing whatever was up there. But it was now or never. After slowly creeping her way back up the stairs, she found herself at her sister's room yet again with the unplugged lamp at her disposal. She reached for the doorknob with a trembling hand, shut her eyes, and quickly open the door preparing herself to let out an epic internal battle cry.

Through her blurry vision, she briefly saw a figure and closed her eyes immediately. She ran towards them and with all of her strength, she whacked them right on the noggin. She was ready to knock the intruder once more for good measure until she heard their agonized cry.

"AGH!"

Then she stopped. That voice sounded familiar. She opened her eyes. The first image burrowed into Naminé's memory was the intruder being stuck butt first in one of their bins, forcing them crawl like a hermit crab along with their pathetic display at trying to get unstuck. The second thing she noticed was that a pair of her sister's bras hung from one of the locks of their spiky blond hair. The final thing she noticed, after squinting, was that the face of this intruder was beginning to look familiar despite the blurriness.

Her hunch proved correct. It was him.

Her mouth went ajar and her lips quivered and her face became red as a beet. Roxas was visibly embarrassed as well. He rubbed the sore spot on his head, inwardly noting this just wasn't his day at all. All he could do was stare with an empty expression as she watched him with a blushed face full of confusion, horror, and fear. Needless to say, his attempt at being a delivery boy did not go as smoothly as he imagined.

The two said nothing. A third spectator might have thought time froze. They just stared, allowing an uncomfortable and immeasurably awkward silence fill the room with only a conveniently timed whistle of the wind act as background noise. Eventually, after processing the situation, Naminé lowered her defense and allowed her arms to rest at her sides. She was dreaming, right? There was no way this was the same guy she met from the night prior. However, Roxas burst her bubble with an undeniable display of his highly astute wit.

"Hey."

Naminé began breathing rapidly. This wasn't a dream. It was real. This creepy guy had actually just broken into their home. A barrage of questions raced through her mind. What did he want? What was his problem? Was he some sort of psychopath? Maybe he had only helped her the night before because he wanted to take advantage of her. Maybe that was why he wanted to find out where she lived. Did he come to assault her?

Roxas could tell she was panicking and raised one of his hands to hopefully stop her from hyperventilating. "H-Hey, hey, I know this looks pretty bad, but I need you to relax—"

His words went through one ear throughout the other. Naminé saw the house phone sitting on Kairi's vanity. It finally clicked: Kairi had said she took the house phone earlier. Naminé made a rush towards the vanity and picked up the phone, frantically attempting to dial the number with her sweaty fingers.

"Wait, wait! Relax!" Roxas yelled, he reached for Naminé, hoping to stop her from calling the police, but fell flat on his face.

When Roxas lifted his head, all he saw on her face was fear; fear towards him—the intruder that had broken into her home without warning. She had backed into the corner of the room and looked at him as if he were holding her at gunpoint. That look of confusion and horror on her face, lips quivering and fingers trembling as she hugged the phone conflicted on what she was supposed to do, made him feel like the biggest jerk in the universe. What was he thinking? He seemed to forget that this wasn't Axel or Xion he was messing with. He had helped her the night before, but that didn't mean she was inclined to trust him.

"This isn't what it looks like," Roxas assured in what was hopefully a calming voice. "I promise I'm not gonna hurt you. Actually, I'm just here to give you something. Just breathe, okay? In and out."

The flustered girl didn't move a muscle for a while. She inhaled a sharp breath before gradually releasing, letting her breathing come to a more steady pace. She did this several times before the adrenaline in her system had settled and her body's temperature warmed up. This guy didn't _seem_ like the type to do anything malicious, but her father had always said that things don't always look as they seem.

"Are you okay?" he asked. Naminé didn't respond. "If it makes you more comfortable, you can keep the phone with you. If I do anything that makes you more uncomfortable than I already have, you can call the police. Deal?"

Naminé gulped and gripped the house phone tighter. After a while of careful consideration, she decided to give him a chance to explain himself. After all, he did bring her home the night before. She had to hope he was as genuine as he seemed but she refused to let go of the phone.

Still, she meekly modded in his direction.

"Good, good," Roxas said with a sigh of relief. Noting that he was still butt first stuck inside the bin, he smiled sheepishly. "Uh... help?"

Wordlessly, Naminé went behind and helped tug the bin from both his back and bottom. Even she was surprised at how tight it had latched onto him and began wondering just what in the world this guy did to get into this kind of predicament, especially considering his lean body type. Roxas apologized profusely throughout the awkward encounter and for the proximity required to remove the stubborn bin. Still too fearful to open her mouth, Naminé made no attempt at reassurance.

Finally, after an uncomfortable forty-five seconds and a combined effort, the two were able to detach Roxas's derriere. He gave a hiss of simultaneous pain and relief once his backside could breathe yet again.

"That's not going to feel good tonight," Roxas muttered to no one in particular as he rubbed the sore spot. He turned around and gave the girl a smile of appreciation. "Uh, thanks. And again, sorry you had to do that."

Naminé kept her eyes trained on his hair. Roxas didn't understand why until he realized he still had her sister's bra clung to one of his locks. With a nervous chuckle, he carefully removed the underwear and tossed it back into the bin, offering an innocent smile while tying his hands behind his back in hopes of nonverbal compensation. But as usual, her empty expression gave him zero indication of where her head was at or what she thought of him. She exited Kairi's room and marched back to her own while using the wall as guidance to make sure she didn't trip over herself.

"H-Hey, wait up!" he called. Roxas went outside the hall and saw her turn right. He stopped by her room to find her situated at her workstation, pretending to scribble on her tablet. As expected, she didn't react to his presence. "So uh... how's your day going?"

For the first time since meeting her, aside from shaking with fear, he was finally able to get a reaction out of her. It wasn't an ideal reaction considering she frowned at him presumably for his impetuousness before returning to her tablet but it was a reaction nonetheless.

"Yeah, maybe that was a dumb question," Roxas trailed, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm really, really sorry if I scared you. It was stupid, I know. I can be stupid sometimes. And I totally deserve this bump on my head. I just kinda figured you wouldn't answer the door." He chuckled. "Just a hunch."

Naminé didn't acknowledge him. Before, she held her tongue out of fear. She was still afraid, but at least she had a good excuse to remain closed off out of spite.

"Right..." Roxas continued after the silence ensued. Roxas couldn't help but notice the room was messier than he was expecting: empty bottles of juice and takeout were flooding out of her recycle bin and there was an empty tub of ice cream on the floor. But what caught his attention beyond that were the walls filled to the brim with paintings and sketches—each with its own unique style and visual identity. He was mesmerized by the level of quality on display in such a small, ordinary room. "Wow. Are these yours?" Naminé hesitated for a moment but ultimately looked up from her tablet. She nodded while keeping her eyes to the side. Roxas was just glad she was finally communicating with him, even if it was nonverbal. "They're amazing! You didn't tell me you were an artist. But then again, this _is_ you we're talking about," he teased.

Naminé rolled her eyes. He acted as if they were acquaintances. She watched as he studied her portraits and backdrop visuals with genuine interest as if he were a spectator at a museum. She had to admit that while he was annoying, she did get a slight kick seeing him examining and inspecting her artwork with a whimsical smile whenever something really caught his eye. It was also a little uncomfortable; to be in her room was to be in her lightest and darkest corners of her soul, and she was baring that to him. If she had the will to speak, she would've protested—but since he seemed to be enjoying himself, she let him be.

"Y'know," Roxas said suddenly, making Naminé snap out of it and return to her tablet before he noticed her staring, "you could totally be a professional if you wanted to. I'm not exactly an expert on art or anything, but if my casual trash opinion means anything to you, you're extremely talented."

Naminé gave the tiniest smile of appreciation.

He grinned. "Hey! There's a smile."

Naminé's blushing intensified and she couldn't look him in the eyes anymore. It was only then that she noticed the state of her room and became extremely embarrassed. She quickly dropped to the floor and tossed all of the scattered cans of soda and plastic plates into what little room was left in her trash can.

Roxas found it amusing and knelt down to her level, stopping her with a gentle touch to her forearm. "Relax," he said as a deliberate callback to the night before. She pursed her lips tightly and nodded. "I'll be out of your hair in a minute, so don't worry about it. Like I said, I had something to give you. That's the whole reason I'm here, I promise."

After Roxas helped her off the ground and she took a seat on her bed. He unzipped his backpack, retrieved his surprise gift, and hid the item he was holding behind his back, making sure she was attentive.

"Tada!" He presented her glasses. The previously broken black-rimmed glasses she accidentally left in his car were now taped together quite nicely.

Naminé was speechless. She noticed how tight the rims were thanks the specific brand of tape used, making her certain it wouldn't fall from her ears anytime soon. He handed them to her and Naminé hesitantly took them back. She closed her eyes and carefully placed them on her ears. When she opened her eyes, the world became clear once again and a euphoric sensation of relief washed her over. It didn't take long for her attention to be drawn to the mysterious boy who went through all of this trouble for her for no apparent reason. It was the first time she had truly seen him in detail without everything looking like an out of focus camera lens. She could finally make out his boyish features. His smile looked sincere. There was a twinkle in his azure eyes that had an easygoing surface with a subtle glint of adventurous spirit hiding beneath.

"Well, uh, hope that suffices," Roxas said. "You wouldn't believe the amount of time it took me to find that tape. I hate hardware stores."

Naminé didn't know what to do or how to react. It was the first time in a while anyone outside of her immediate family went out of their way for her. She couldn't put a finger on why he was doing all of this. He must've thought she was nothing more than an anti-social prude. She hadn't even uttered a word to him yet.

He put a hand to his chest. "I'm Roxas. Roxas Strife."

Naminé found his last name particularly interesting. Strife wasn't a name unfamiliar to her. He must have been the son of Cloud Strife—one of the previous guardians of light who fought alongside Zack Fair during the war a little over a decade ago. He was a respected and revered man known to save many lives. What were the odds she would meet his son?

"Come to think of it, I never did catch your name," Roxas continued. "Oh, I forgot. You can't speak, can you?" Naminé was taken by surprise. She didn't expect him to think of her as a mute, but she couldn't say she didn't understand why. "It's alright, it's alright," he continued. "I guess I'll just have to be content with playing the guessing game."

Naminé was taken by surprise that he thought of her as a mute but she couldn't say it wasn't understandable. Out of curiosity, she decided to mess with him a bit and refrain from saying anything.

"Let's see," Roxas began, tapping his chin. "Is it... Maddie? Mabel? Marilyn?" She shook her head to all three of his guesses. Roxas crossed his arms.

Despite her anxiety, Naminé couldn't help but find some enjoyment out of this and had to repress her amusement.

"Ariel? It's totally Ariel, right? And then I'm gonna have a crab sing to me to kiss you to break the evil curse."

Naminé scoffed.

"No?" Roxas asked, pretending to be disappointed. "Worth a shot. How about Rinoa?"

Naminé pretended to gag and pointed inside of her mouth, making Roxas laugh.

"Okay, that's definitely out of the question. This is gonna take forever. Guess I'm gonna have to rapid fire it." He cleared his throat. "Jackie, Erza, Bella, Nora, Asuna, Makoto, Haruhi, Amaya, Melanie, Hinata, Android 18, Lara Croft, Optimus Prime, Dumbledore, Keyser Söze, Santa Claus, Thanos—"

Now he was just being silly. Naminé repeatedly shook her head at every wrong attempt, all the while silently giggling to herself.

"Dang. I was really banking on Dumbledore, too." To give him a hint, she drew an invisible 'N' in the air. "Starts with an N, huh? How about... Nora?" She gave a look of disapproval. "Well, aren't you high maintenance. I didn't realize the name Nora was too good for your Majesty."

She shrugged, making him laugh. Their brief moment came to a standstill once they heard the front door open.

"Naminé? Kairi?" said her father's booming voice.

Naminé went pale. Her father would surely get the wrong idea and likely kill Roxas if he entered her room and saw him standing there, despite the fact that they were fully clothed without a trace of evidence of anything risque happening whatsoever. Especially considering he knew of the party. Roxas could sense her panic.

"Is that your dad?" he asked. Naminé nodded. "I'm gonna take a wild guess that him seeing me in your room wouldn't be a good first impression." Naminé nodded again with urgency. She panicked even more once heard her father's voice drawing nearer.

"Naminé? Are you sleep?" Snow called out.

Forced to do some quick thinking, Naminé scampered around her room looking for a way to sneak Roxas out without alerting her father. She opened her window and grabbed her comforter, flinging it out of her window. Luckily, it was just long enough for Roxas to slide down and leap off at a safe distance. She motioned the outside to him.

It didn't take long for Roxas to catch on and he quickly took position outside the window ledge as Naminé held tightly to her covers. He clutched the fabric and prepared himself for his descent. He gave a brief salute before carefully lowering himself.

As he almost reached the point of being able to jump, something caught him off guard. "By the way," she called out in a somewhat hushed voice, "my name is Naminé!"

"Whoa!" Roxas lost whatever balance he had and crashed onto the ground face first with his arms and legs spread out—whiplashed by both the pain and the bomb Naminé just dropped on him with the revelation that she could actually talk without warning.

Naminé winced at the blow. "I-I'm sorry," she called out. Roxas was about to say something in return before Naminé got distracted by a knock on her door.

"Nam? You awake?"

With a gasp, Naminé quickly began reeling in her comforter.

"I'm coming in," her father said with a somewhat stern voice. He opened the door to find Naminé laying on her bed with her eyes closed. She opened an eye at the sound of his arrival.

"Dad...?" Naminé said, pretending to sound groggy as she stretched her tiredness away in a surprisingly convincing manner.

Relieved, Snow put on a smile. "Sorry about that, I was just—" He cut himself off after noticing the end of her comforter hanging outside of her window. "Why are your blankets by the window?"

Naminé gulped. "For... an art piece that I'm doing?" She internally cursed to herself. She was getting as bad at lying as Kairi. "F-For Mocchi!" she added. "I wanted to draw a scene of her near the window and I wanted her to be comfortable."

Snow remained skeptical and entered the room. Her forehead began to sweat the closer he got to the window. Snow looked outside and saw nothing in particular standing out. "Hm. Nice weather, isn't it?"

"Y-Yeah! Great," Naminé assured.

"Although, you really ought to lock these windows," Snow said as he reeled the rest of her blankets back inside and locked her window to further his point. "You never know what kind of jackass might try to sneak in while you're asleep."

"R-Right." Naminé let her own brand of relief to settle, grateful that Roxas somehow managed to escape before being seen. "I'm surprised you're home so early."

"Was feeling a little under the weather. Throat's been hoarse all morning. Figured I'd take the rest of the day off."

"Do you need me to get you anything?"

"Nah, don't stress over it," Snow assured. He was about to leave before he did a double take. "Hey, are those your glasses?" he asked, noticing the repaired rims sitting on her table. Naminé inwardly groaned. She was hoping he wouldn't catch that, but being an investigator, he had to have a keen eye.

"Oh, um... yeah, I ended up finding them," she lied.

"Where were they?"

"Under my bed," Naminé answered almost too quickly. Thankfully, Snow didn't pick up on the frenzy behind her tone.

He shook his head. "You never change."

She frowned and pushed her glasses further up her nose. "Care to elaborate on that?"

He chuckled, patting her on the head knowing full well that it would only annoy her further. "Forget it."

Eventually, Snow made his exit and Naminé plopped onto her bed and groaned, unable to believe everything that just happened. She didn't even really know how to process any of it. She didn't know what to think of him—whether she could trust him. Whether or not he had malicious intentions. Whether he was somebody that would be around more often than she would care for. But she knew his name. And little did she know, it would be a name she would never forget.

Roxas Strife.

**_Memories of Recklessness_ **


	3. Chapter 3

Xion sat alone on the beach, admiring the sparkles gleaming beneath the evening sky that was accompanied by a full moon. She was impressed by the fact that there wasn't a trace of leftover trash or empty bottles from the party. She took in the coconut scented aroma around her as the waves crashed against the shore.

She felt uncharacteristically introspective that day with many thoughts spiraling through her head. Thoughts of college, dreams, self-doubts, and, most annoyingly, a certain oblivious moron who went by the alias of Roxas. The only thing that made the latter of those thoughts particularly more painful were all of the couples taking romantic walks near the beach, kissing, or caressing each other lovingly. Xion noticed one couple standing by the docks holding hands a few feet away and looked at them with contempt as she leaned her right cheek against her fist.

Fears whispered in her ear such as potentially confessing or getting rejected while simultaneously putting an awkward stamp on their friendship for months. The usual. Or, in a surprise twist of fate, there was the hypothetical outcome of Roxas actually returning her feelings. But then the fear shifted to the unforeseen possibility of things going horribly wrong down the road, resulting in losing a friend forever.

The friend zone was cruel. Even worse, she was stuck in the _childhood_ friend zone. The frustrated Xion rebuked herself for being dumb enough to fall for her best friend. But it was almost unavoidable. She liked him since the beginning, before she even knew what a crush was, and it wasn't fun keeping those feelings bottled up for so long. She wasn't even sure where or who she would be if it weren't for him.

Being the youngest of two brothers, she developed a tougher personality than most would have expected of her. She engaged in numerous bouts of mud wrestling and football thanks to the rambunctious nature of her brothers, sometimes for fun and other times for self-defense. She learned from an early age that if she were going to hold her own against them, she would need to learn how to protect herself.

Come her preschool and elementary days and suddenly she realized that rough n' tough Xion wasn't very acceptable for her gender. The girls found her strange and the boys hardly took her seriously. She became an antisocial recluse, the oddity to avoid at recess, the one who couldn't play jump rope or kickball—the residential weirdo.

It was around when she was at her lowest that she met Roxas. She remembered it vividly. It was a camping field trip that combined first-grade and second-grade classes.

" _Children," called their teacher, Ms. Quistis Trepe, commanding their attention. The kids came scampering from the tents they had just built and watched attentively._

_Young Xion wasn't in nearly as much of a rush. If it weren't for the teacher, she would have had to build her tent all by herself since nobody wanted to pair up with her. She scooched over to a spot close enough, but still distant from the other kids while keeping her Winnie the Pooh plush doll close to her chest._

" _It's time for the first activity," Ms. Trepe announced. "For the next couple of days, we'll start each morning by going on a scavenger hunt for the items I've placed out into the woods. You'll go in pairs and there will be prizes for the team with the most discoveries."_

_The children liked the sound of that. They were already high-fiving each other and self-assigning their own partners. Quistis noticed the lonely Xion, who seemed much less enthusiastic for this news than the others._

" _However," Ms. Trepe continued. "You're not allowed to choose partners. Names are in the hat." She presented a black fedora with names on slivers of paper. In an instant, their excitement dwindled with the news. They were only weary of one kid in particular._

" _I hope none of us get paired up with that weirdo," one of the kids whispered amongst their circle._

" _You mean the Xi-Male?" A good portion of the kids laughed at the joke as well as a few that overheard. There was a portion of the kids in the class who didn't approve of their mockery and never partook in their jokes, but they were also unsure of how to approach the aloof and somewhat odd Xion themselves._

" _That's enough," Ms. Trepe said firmly, catching wind of their teasing. "Or would you rather I have a conversation with some of your parents over the phone?" The children promptly kept quiet after that. "Now, no complaining about your partner, please. Think of this as a friendly exercise_ — _a chance to get to know someone better."_

_One by one, each kid took their turn picking a name out of the hat and announcing their partner to the rest of the large class._

_Eventually it came to Roxas Strife. He gave a hopeful look towards the friend he made weeks before, Lea Flynn. Lea gave him a thumbs up as a sign of good luck. Roxas dug his hand through the hat, and retrieved his name._

" _Uh... Xion Valentine."_

_Xion gasped and held her Winnie the Pooh even tighter. Roxas didn't sound very happy to get paired up with the resident weirdo. A couple kids chuckled at the disappointment on his face._

" _Aw, man! Why'd it hafta be her?" Lea whined._

_Once everyone was assigned, it was time to head out. The forests of Destiny Islands weren't known for wild animals or dangerous obstacles. The children were allowed to wander and explore at a decent distance, but still not terribly far from their camping site. There was a path created for the kids to know how to get back safely._

_Roxas took the lead. Xion followed at a distance, still holding onto her plush with the majority of her face concealed by the hoodie she kept over her head. Neither said much during their trip. Roxas tried to strike up a conversation, but Xion didn't respond in hopes of him keeping quiet. Instead, Roxas just talked to himself, hoping maybe she would eventually warm up to him and respond back. She didn't, only making him more uncomfortable as they trudged on. Eventually, he decided she was every bit of the weirdo he heard she was and kept his thoughts to himself._

_Needless to say, it was painfully awkward._

_Due to their lack of cooperation, they only managed to scavenge one item from their list. Roxas was planning on finding Lea to have some of the ice cream they secretly brought in a pressurized cooler._

" _I got somewhere to be, so you can go back to camp without me," Roxas said as he walked past her._

" _Mm," was all Xion managed to muster. But before Roxas could walk a few feet, Xion was startled by the sight of a fox peering at her from a bush. "WAH!"_

_The fox was harmless, but it didn't stop Xion from screaming. She took a few steps back and tripped over a branch sprouting from the ground, resulting in making her drop her Winnie the Pooh plushie. The fox sniffed it before claiming it as its own and scurried away._

_Xion reached out for her favorite toy and let out a miserable cry._ _Roxas didn't hesitate to run after the fox. Without thinking, Xion followed behind as fast as her tiny legs could carry._

_But the fox was too fast. It was impossible for either of them to keep up with it. Roxas had to think quickly. As he ran, he jumped and broke off a branch from a tree that was just low enough for him to reach in one smooth motion. Recalling his teachings, Roxas performed a strike raid at the fox and nailed it in the back on his first try._

_The impact hurled the fox back a few feet and it subsequently dropped the plush doll. Xion couldn't believe her eyes. Once Roxas caught up to it, he picked up the same branch from before and got into a battle stance. After shaking out of its daze, the fox only stared at the young Roxas._

" _It's not nice to take people's stuff," Roxas chastised. Feeling threatened, the fox decided to flee. Roxas proudly rubbed beneath his nose and picked up the plush doll, which unfortunately now had an injured arm. He caught up to Xion and offered it back. "Um, here."_

_Xion took it back graciously, though she remained a bit starstruck. Outside of her immediate family, it was a rarity for someone to go out of their way for her._

" _Sorry about the arm. Dumb fox," Roxas continued._

" _How did you do that?" the bewildered girl asked._

_It was the first time he heard her utter more than one word or mumble under her breath. He rubbed the back of his head embarrassingly. "Oh, that? Well, my dad is..." he paused, adopting a slightly more melancholic appearance, "...was, a member of SOLDIER. I guess he taught me a few things."_

_Xion noticed the shift in his demeanor. "Oh."_

_"Idea!" Roxas said, changing the subject. "Maybe Ms. Trepe can help. We're supposed to be back at camp by now, anyway."_

" _Yeah."_

" _Let's go!" Roxas strolled forward, this time a bit more relaxed than before. But something made him stop in his tracks._

" _Th-Thank you... Roxas."_

_Roxas saw her remove the hood from her head, revealing her big blue eyes and her hair. It was short, but it complimented her nicely. He settled into a gentle smile himself and nodded affirmatively._

_They journeyed back to camp, still relatively quiet as before, but this it was different. They would look out for each other, told the other to be careful, and Roxas even helped her climb up certain obstacles. At their return, Roxas explained the situation to Quistis and showed her the wounded stuffed animal. His explanation likely saved them from getting in trouble for their tardiness. She promised to fix it and the two were left to spend their free time like the other children._

_Roxas could tell Xion was upset. His face brightened with an idea. "Hey, I know a way to cheer you up!"_

_Xion gave a quizzical look as she tilted her head to the side._

_Roxas grinned, recalling something Lea told him the first time they shared their favorite special treat together. "The icing on the cake."_

_Roxas let Xion tag along with him until they found Lea near a pond on the outskirts of the forest. He was accompanied by the cooler full of ice cream. The seven-year-old Lea saw Roxas emerge from the shadows and was quick to wave him over. "Hey, Roxa_ —"

_He was caught off-guard by the short-haired girl following behind him._

" _Hey, Lea," Roxas greeted jovially. "You remember Xion, right?"_

_Xion waved, forcing a smile. "'Lo..."_

" _Uh, hey. 'Scuse us for a sec," Lea said in return before pulling Roxas to the side. Once they were a few feet away, Lea dropped the facade. They thought they were out of earshot, but Xion could pick up just enough to get the gist of their conversation._

" _What're you doin'?! I thought no girls were allowed! Especially girls like... well, that. Don't tell me she rubbed off on ya."_

_Roxas glared at him. "Don't be a jerk. She's a little quiet, but she's not so bad."_

_Lea saw Xion staring into the pond, poking at something near the bottom with a stick. "You sure? I dunno. It wouldn't be so bad if she were a boy, but... what if we catch cooties or somethin'?"_

_"Seriously? Cooties?"_

_"It's science, bro!"_

_Roxas shook his head disapprovingly. "Just be nice. She might be a little different from the other girls but I think she just wants to make some friends."_

_Lea sighed. "Fiiiiiiiiiine."_

_A cheery Roxas returned with a begrudging Lea, whose hands were stuffed in his pockets. For the longest, Lea refused to make eye contact with the newly acquired asset to their newfound trinity._

" _So... you like ice cream?" Lea asked in a low volume, his question aimed at Xion._

_She perked up a bit at the sound of that. "Yeah!"_

_They all took their places near the pond. Roxas handed her a bar of sea-salt ice cream, already beckoning her to try it. It certainly lived up to its name and it was undoubtedly delicious._

" _This is so good!" Xion exclaimed. Roxas chuckled. Lea also found the reaction amusing even if he didn't vocalize it. Instead, he chose to keep his gaze straight ahead with a look of disinterest. "Where'd you guys find this flavor?"_

" _It's imported from Radiant Garden," Roxas answered. "Lea told me all about it. When we met, he invited me to eat some after school. We usually eat on the play island, but I guess this will have to do."_

" _The play island?" Xion inquired._

_"You don't know? It's the best spot ever!" Roxas said excitedly. "Our parents let us ride out there in boats. It's where we play tag, and fly kites, and we even have a tree house!"_

" _That sounds fun!" Xion said._

" _Yeah, and no girls have never been there before," Lea chimed in._

_The comment successfully drained all of the life out of the conversation. Xion kept her eyes trained on the fish swimming in the pond. "Oh."_

_Roxas gave his best friend a hard glare. "What?" Lea asked dumbly. "It's true!"_

" _Don't listen to him," Roxas said. "Anybody can come if they want to. That means you, too."_

_Xion cheered up a little. "Really?"_

" _Sure! Right, Lea?" Roxas bumped him on the shoulder._

_A perturbed Lea rubbed the spot, giving Roxas a dirty look. "Whatever..."_

" _Pinky promise," Roxas said, offering his pinky._

_Lea nearly choked on his ice cream. "A pinky promise?" he asked incredulously. "Dude, that's like, sacred!"_

_Roxas ignored him and kept going. "As soon as we're back from camping, we'll go to the island and eat ice cream together. All three of us."_

_His eyes were playful and sincere. She secretly admired that honest nature of his. Xion didn't know what it meant to have a crush on someone at the time, but she knew being around him made something in her chest flutter._

" _Okay!" she answered, hooking her pinky with his and solidifying the promise._

_From then on, the three became inseparable. After getting the proper permission from her parents, Xion accompanied Roxas and Lea to the play island with Tifa acting as their chaperone. They played all day, and near the end, they sat on the overtly bent paopu fruit tree and ate ice cream together, as promised. It took some time, but Lea eventually warmed up to Xion as well._

_They were her best friends. For the first time, Xion felt like she found somewhere she belonged and could openly be herself. But it never would have happened if it weren't for Roxas: the boy who didn't let peer pressure get the best of him and gave her a chance._

_She owed him a lot._

"Somehow, I just knew you'd be here."

She escaped her memories and found Roxas looming over her with a duffel bag resting on his left shoulder. "Why, Roxas. Could it be that you've been my secret stalker this whole time?"

"You caught me." Roxas set down his bag down and plopped onto the sand next to her. She noticed he was still wearing his Shoyu Shoyu uniform, though it seemed a lot less clean than usual.

"Where the heck have you been?" she asked. "You look like you just got done wrestling a bear. What happened?"

Roxas looked towards the sky, as if contemplating something methodical and important. "Well, I was making my way downtown, walking fast, faces passed, then I was homebound—"

"Don't." She rolled her eyes playfully. "Seriously. I thought you would've been training with Sora and Riku by now."

"I could say the same to you, you know," Roxas said. "You're usually there for moral support. What gives?"

"Would you believe me if I said I wanted to philosophize and figure out the meaning of this wacky thing we call life?"

"Eh, I did that last week."

Xion scoffed. "With that much time, I'm sure you're a regular Master Yen Sid by now."

"You might be surprised." For a moment, he didn't say anything. He just gave her a knowing smile.

She let out an amused chuckle laced with confusion. "Okay... what?"

"Remember earlier when you said you could read me like a book when I'm feeling down?" His friendly smile devolved into a coy smirk. "The feeling's mutual."

Xion wasn't sure how to respond at first. "What are you trying to say?"

"Come on," he pressed, poking his finger against the side of her stomach. It tickled, making her retract instinctively. "It's so unlike you to sit somewhere all by yourself unless something was bothering you."

Xion pouted. "Since when did you suddenly turn into Mr. Intuitive?"

"Since my bestie senses started tingling."

"Way to be original," Xion teased back.

Roxas shrugged. "I learn from the best."

Xion decided not to prolong it any further. She knew trying to save face for Roxas or Lea was pointless. "Well, you're not wrong, I guess."

"Wanna talk about it?"

She felt her forehead sweat the instant he asked. There was no way she had the guts to confess at that moment and eye contact suddenly became a struggle. "Maybe some other time?" She drew circles in the sand with her index finger. "It's... complicated."

"I see." Despite her face being turned, Roxas could detect her uneasiness. It wasn't something he was used to. Xion always seemed so strong and self-assured. Something must have really been bothering her. "Then it looks like it's a job for Papa Roxas." He stood to his feet and offered his hand. "Let's find a way to cheer you up."

"Papa Roxas?" She accepted his services and allowed him to help her to her feet. They both dusted off their lower halves. "And how exactly do you plan on accomplishing that?"

He grinned. "What else? The icing on the cake. My treat."

He bought a sea-salt ice cream bar for the both of them, but insisted that she didn't eat it yet. He told her to keep her eyes closed as he led the somewhat confused Xion to the docks by hand (a gesture to which she had no complaints towards). Roxas rented one of the boats and took it upon himself to row them across the relatively short distance.

"Can I open my eyes now, Roxas?" Xion asked.

"No peeking," he said playfully.

"Oh, please. You think I haven't figured out where you're taking me? It was obvious the moment you told me to go into the boat."

"Well, maybe you're wrong and it'd just spoil the surprise. You never know."

"So, you're saying you're _not_ taking me to the play island?" He held his tongue. She couldn't see him, but if Xion had to make a guess, she figured he was blushing right about now.

"Tch. No."

Xion giggled. "Oh my god. You are adorable."

"Am not."

They soon arrived at their destination and Roxas helped her out of the boat.

"You can open them now," Roxas instructed. As she predicted, they were on the play island. It was their favorite spot when they were children, but as the years went by, they gradually began to frequent it less and less. It still didn't stop them from an occasional visit. For them, the place had become akin to a scrapbook of treasured memories.

Xion gasped, pretending to be surprised and hugged him around his neck. "Roxas! You shouldn't have!"

Roxas appreciated the sarcastic attempt. "Blew your mind, didn't I?"

" _Totally,"_ she exaggerated.

They walked through the seaside shack and made their way across the bridge that connected the shack to the islet. It was where their favorite paopu fruit tree was located and over the years it became their favorite place to eat ice cream together.

"And now, we feast," Roxas said, itching to get a bite of his beloved sea-salt ice cream.

"I almost thought it was going to melt on the way here." She bit into her own, and felt a euphoric sensation send shivers down her spine. "Tastes like nostalgia."

Xion studied Roxas from the side. Something was different, and it was the kind of subtle something that only a friend of ten years could pinpoint. Roxas was always a lazy daydreamer, but something was off about him the past few weeks. For the first time in a short while, he almost seemed like his old self. If not, a nudge happier. Did something happen in the past few hours?

"You seem cheerful," she observed.

"Do I?" he asked, a little confused. He looked out into the sky whimsically, thoughts trailing back to a certain bespectacled girl whose voice he finally got to hear. "Guess I am."

Xion wasn't sure what to make of that, but decided to let it go and return to her ice cream. They settled into a pleasant silence. Roxas was the first to finish his ice cream, and began mindlessly chewing on the bare stick.

"Too bad Lea isn't here to enjoy this," Xion said.

"Excuse me, I believe you mean Axel," Roxas corrected.

Xion gagged. She hated that stupid nickname. "I believe you mean—no."

The quip made Roxas laugh. "Actually, I don't mind it being just the two of us every once in a while."

"Really?" she inquired. "And here I thought I was the third wheel of you and Lea's intense bromance."

"You're kidding. Come on," he said, bumping her shoulder playfully. "I don't know what I'd do without you, you know? You keep me on my toes, always looking out for me and making sure I'm on top of things."

"Oh, stop." Xion pretended to be embarrassed. "Actually, no. Keep going. Boost my ego."

He laughed, but decided to take her up on the offer. "Okay. You're always honest and straightforward with me. You never sugarcoat anything, and I appreciate that. No matter what, you're always checking up on me and looking out for what's best for me. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without you."

Xion was eternally grateful that it was dark enough that Roxas wouldn't notice the faint blush forming on her cheeks and subtly shifted her shoulders. "I, uh, should be the one thanking you. If you hadn't let me hang out with you guys all those years ago, I don't think I'd be the same person."

"Don't sell yourself so short," he said encouragingly. "Can you imagine me having to deal with Lea all by myself?"

They both shuddered at the thought.

"I couldn't imagine life without either of you," he admitted. "But you're the anchor that keeps me grounded. I don't think it was an accident we were paired up that day. And how many people can I eat sea-salt ice cream with in complete silence without it being awkward? You're amazing, Xion. You're the closest thing I have to a sister. Thanks."

With a single word, her heart cracked a little. The dreadful friend zone. But she convinced herself it was only because she was too scared to show him how she felt about him. If he knew how she really felt, would it spark something else in him? She looked at Roxas; he was genuine and sincere. A tad irresponsible sometimes, but she could live with that. The moonlight highlighted his gentle confidence. He seemed confident in her. It was as if she could have said anything to him and he wouldn't judge her for it. It was the perfect opportunity. The mood was right. She wanted to just blurt it out and let the fate decide where things would go from there.

But it wasn't going to be that day.

Instead, she chickened out and cleared her throat before jumping down from the tree with her bare stick also dangling from her mouth. "Okay, I-I think you've made your point quite clear," she insisted.

He landed next to her with a smirk. "What? No heartwarming speech professing your love and affection for me?"

"I think you've been mushy enough for the both of us tonight."

"C'mon, you know you love me." Roxas reached out for her with wriggling fingers, ready to trap her into a bear hug.

She giggled, using a finger against his chest to push him away. "Gross."

"Was it something I said? Or is it garlic breath?" Roxas asked. "Don't play hard to get. You know you want all of this."

Xion pretended to gag. "Take a dip." She shoved Roxas into the sea and dusted her hands as she proudly watched at his head resurface from below. "Roxas, I didn't know you wanted to practice for the blitzball team!"

"That joke was beneath you," Roxas remarked, despite his amusement. "Isn't this supposed to be the part of the script where I grab you and pull you under with me and we laugh about it because we're just so totally adorbz?"

"With 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight' playing in the background?" she quipped, beginning to walk away. "Nope, sorry. Looks like you'll just have to swim back to shore on your own."

But she spoke too soon. She wasn't looking where she was going and bumped into the nearest coconut tree, making her stumble and fall off the edge of the platform. She made a big splash into the water and resurfaced, clearly unamused by the shear irony put on display as her droopy hair covered the majority of her eyes. She looked like a wet dog that just got out of a bath.

Roxas could barely contain his laughter.

"Not. A word," Xion interrupted.

But in a matter of minutes, they were laughing and splashing each other anyway.

**_Memories of Remorse_ **


	4. Memories of Turmoil

Destiny Islands was beautiful.

Even to a native such as herself, Xion thought it never got old. She admired the vibrant colors and lush greenery signature to the tropical locale. She closed her eyes, feeling the breeze tussle with her hair, took in the scent of the ocean, and listened to the seagulls squawk from above.

Despite getting her clothes wet the previous night, she and Roxas had fun splashing each other just like when they were children. When all was said and done, Roxas acted like a true gentleman; he gave her his spare jacket to keep her warm and walked her home safely. It almost felt like a date.

That said, she didn't expect to be waiting for him the next day, not to mention in the exact same spot, kicking her feet out as she sat on the paopu tree. She wasn't sure why Roxas called her so early but she wasn't complaining. As much as she loved Lea like an older brother, she cherished the moments she could spend alone time with Roxas without any interference.

"Did you wait long?"

His voice pulled her from her thoughts. He glistened in the sun as if he were a beam of hope, his gentle smile soothing her nerves. That V-Neck of his sure did bring out his lean, athletic physique.

"Not particularly," Xion answered, looking away before she caught herself ogling. "Although, this better make up for you waking me up before noon. You know that's considered a summer vacation felony, right?"

He chuckled nervously as he hopped up onto the tree and sat next to her. "I'll buy you some ice cream. I just needed to talk to you about something first."

"This seriously couldn't wait until later?"

Roxas rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "It's not exactly something I need Riku or Sora getting in on."

Xion was unsure what to make of that. "Sounds intense. Well, then. I'm all ears." Maybe it was her imagination but he looked more serious than usual—a side to him Xion wasn't used to seeing. She placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. "Roxas, you can tell me anything. It's okay."

Roxas took a deep breath and looked her right in the eyes. "Remember last night?"

"No, Roxas. I totally forgot within the last twelve hours," she said dryly.

Roxas grinned while rubbing the back of his head. Perhaps it was a dumb question, but he continued. "I invited you out to eat ice cream because I thought it would make you feel better," he said. "But that wasn't the only reason. I just couldn't bring myself to say it before."

"What are you talking about?"

Roxas looked at her for a moment before jumping down from the tree and standing near the edge of the round platform to gaze at the ocean. Xion raised an eyebrow but stood next to him regardless.

"Don't tell me you're in some kind of trouble," Xion said in a noticeably more serious tone.

"It's nothing like that," Roxas assured her. "But something has been bothering me. I think you've noticed."

"Well, yeah," Xion admitted. "You haven't been yourself these past few weeks."

"I've done a lot of thinking," Roxas continued, throwing his hands into his pockets. "About myself. Who I am. What the future holds in store for me. Trying to make sense out of my life."

"And it isn't even our senior year yet," Xion joked. She wasn't sure where he was going but she was just happy he was finally opening up to her after weeks of aloofness. She clung onto every word.

"But when I saw you last night... something clicked," he continued. "I think I finally figured it out, Xi."

Xion set her hands on her hips, beginning to lose her patience. "Figured _what_ out?"

He turned to her with a hard expression, strong and focused. "My destiny. All this time, I've felt so much pressure to live up to these expectations. To live up to my father's legacy."

Xion frowned. "You can't worry about what others expect of you, Roxas. Cloud was a great man but he's not you. All you can do is find your own place in the world and follow wherever that leads."

"I know," he said, a hopeful smile on his face. "Whether you realized it or not, you made me realize that a while ago."

Xion was taken aback by that confession. "I did?"

"Yes," he affirmed with confidence. "You've always stuck by me, always kept me grounded, always encouraged me to follow my heart. And I'm gonna do just that." He looked towards the sky. "I want to see the stars. I'm gonna pilot a gummi ship across the galaxy. I want to see other worlds. Look for adventures and just go wherever life takes me."

"You almost sound like Sora," she said amusedly. Though, she couldn't help but feel like the conversation reeked of deja vu. She could have sworn she had this conversation with him before but she couldn't even comment on it because she could barely control what she was saying. "But still, I'm happy for you, Roxas. I'm glad you figured this out."

"Yeah," he said, returning his attention to her. "And I wouldn't have figured it out if it weren't for you. And when I saw you last night... I realized that's not the only thing I want." His eyes held a silent passion within them. "I want you, Xion."

Xion didn't remember that part. Suddenly, she had control of her own words again. "Uh, what?"

"I want you to come with me, Xion," Roxas confessed, taking her by the shoulders. "I want you travel with me."

And before she could even react, he crushed her lips with his own. Her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets as her knees threatened to buckle but she eventually gave in to the embrace and returned his kiss with equal force, wrapping her arms around the base of his neck. His strong hands claimed her waist, making her body fold into him as she pulled him in closer. She had been longing this forever. This was too good to be true. Was this real? Was it a dream? The tangible sensation on her lips and the very real feeling of her own euphoria begged to differ.

They parted and it took a moment for Xion to regain her consciousness, but he smiled at her confidently, almost mischievously.

"Don't take this the wrong way or anything, but what the actual _hell_ was that?!" Xion asked, still skeptical. She began rolling up the sleeves of her black cardigan sweater. "Is this a prank? I swear, if Lea is behind a bush with a camera somewhere—"

"It's not a prank," he ensured. He connected his forehead against hers and her smile was beyond her own control.

"Then what are we doing?" she asked, still in disbelief.

"Something that's been long overdue," Roxas answered. "I've felt this way for a long time. Last night, you were so beautiful in the moonlight. I couldn't bring myself to say it, but... I couldn't wait any longer. Something was burning inside me and I didn't want to ruin my chance. Xion, I want us to be together. I love you."

"Roxas, I..." Xion said, ready to tell him how long she waited for this moment, but she stopped mid-sentence. Roxas just confessed his feelings and he looked incredibly handsome in that button-down and tight-fitting v-neck shirt that exposed just the right amount of chest, displaying his very toned islander body. She could have sworn she heard violins in the background. Everything was perfect.

Too perfect.

"Wait a second," she said, withdrawing from Roxas. "You looked so beautiful in the moonlight? Something was burning inside me? I _love_ you? The real Roxas is a sweetheart, but he wouldn't be caught dead saying that. Who are you?"

"Roxas" laughed. "What's with you? Of course I'm the real Roxas. Come on, Xion, isn't this what you always wanted?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I haven't even said whether or not I love you back, nor have I ever confessed my feelings. How would you know this is what I always wanted?"

Roxas was caught red handed. His eyes became jumpy. "So, what had happened was..."

Xion glared at him for a moment with the full intention of making the imposter uncomfortable. She noticed a bead of sweat drip down the side of his face and all she could do was bow her head in shame with a heavy sigh.

"Just skip to the part where I wake up already."

Xion opened her eyes and cursed to herself and groaned the morning headache away. She took in the sun that leaked through the blinds of her medium sized bedroom. Once reality settled and her memories returned, she plopped back into her pillow, covering her face with her sweaty palms.

"Kill me."

Now she was having dreams about him? Could it even get any more embarrassing than that? She needed someone to talk to. She needed some advice.

Xion had an idea who to call.

* * *

Riku woke to the sound of his ringtone. The shirtless boy groaned as he covered his eyes from the piercing sunlight that shot through the windows. He was in an unfamiliar room in an unfamiliar bed but it wasn't until he discovered the creamy porcelain back laying next to him that he remembered another night full of humid breaths against his skin and hungry kisses full of desire. The pleasurable memory subsided his morning grogginess.

Riku reached for his phone on the nightstand next to him and answered without bothering to check the I.D. "You've reached the business number of Riku Miyano, unofficial sex guru, ready and willing to satisfy your needs. How may I be of service?"

"Really?" He heard a familiar snicker on the other end. "You are such a dork."

"Xion?" Riku yawned, getting out of bed to get dressed. "You do realize it's seven in the morning, right?"

"I just wanted to see what the great albino sex guru himself was up to."

Riku smirked. "Let's just say he didn't get too much sleep last night."

"T.M.I." Riku chuckled. "So, who's the unlucky girl? Is she from our school?"

Riku stared at the half naked girl who began to stir in her sleep. Riku took note of her medium-length blonde hair with two high-braided pigtails. "You don't wanna know."

"You know I'm just going to keep pestering you about it until you cave."

Riku sighed defeatingly. "I know I'm gonna regret this, but... Rikku."

"...So, you masturbated?"

Riku slapped himself on the forehead, despite acknowledging he walked right into that one. "No, genius. Rikku Matsumodo. The one who always hangs around Yuna and Paine."

Xion failed to suppress her laughter. Riku rolled his eyes but expected no less. "That's too perfect. What were you saying during it, huh? 'Oh Rikku, I'm almost there. Oh Rikku, you're so tight,'" she said in a poor imitation of Riku's voice.

Riku could confirm that he indeed regretted it. "Ha ha," he mocked. "You're hilarious. Comical brilliance. I'm sure nobody could've come up with that one."

"Hey, don't get mad at me. You're the one who's into selfcest roleplaying."

"Is there any other reason you called _besides_ taking hotshots at my ego?"

"Surprisingly, yes." She was silent for a moment but Riku waited for her to elaborate. "I wanted to talk to you about something. I could use some advice. But it's a little embarrassing."

"Let me guess—Roxas?"

"How did you know?" she asked incredulously.

"It's always about Roxas."

On the other end of the conversation, Xion's cheeks tinted with a light pink hue as she hugged her legs close to her chest. Lea wasn't the only one who knew about her not-so-secret crush.

"Not... _always_ ," she excused pathetically. He smirked, unconvinced. "Stop smirking," she then demanded, not even needing to see him to sense what he was doing with accuracy.

"You've got it bad, kid," he teased. "Lucky for you, the Master of Attraction and Seduction can squeeze you into his schedule. How about the mall in about half an hour?"

"Did you seriously just call yourself that? I repeat: dork."

"Look, do you want my help or not?"

She giggled. "Yes, I'll be there, Master."

He grinned. "Now that's more like it."

Xion rolled her eyes before hanging up.

* * *

A lovely smell resonated throughout the kitchen. Kairi hummed a tune, a radiant smile gracing her face, as she prepared breakfast for her family. The morning was shining and the birds were singing. Snow sat behind her preoccupied with crossword puzzles in the newspaper, his brows furrowed in concentration as he mindlessly tapped his fingernail against the table. Kairi watched the bacon sizzle and pop in the skillet, its fumes circulating the small space and forming a trail of smog out the cracked windows. Once it was nice and crisp, she took in a pleasant breath and set the strips on a plate while dancing over to the dining table.

"Just like her mother," the nostalgic father said quietly to himself. The buzzing from the pocket of her shorts brought Kairi out of her daydream.

"Hey," she greeted. "Is everything okay?" Snow discreetly observed her from behind his newspaper. "Of course! I'll be there."

"Who was that at this hour?" Snow inquired, taking a sip from his coffee.

"Just this cute guy who asked me out," she answered while hanging up.

Snow spit out his coffee. "Who is this guy? Does he have a name? What's his address? I'd just like to have a chat," he said, despite his clenched teeth.

"Relax, you goober." Kairi giggled. "It was just Xion. She asked me to meet her at the mall down on Mako Street. You wouldn't mind giving me a ride before you go to work, would you?"

"Hmph." Snow growled as he took another drink from his mug. "As long as you promise you won't talk to some musclehead jackass while you're there. It's like these Destiny Island natives don't know the definition of wearing a damn shirt."

Kairi conceded. The women seemed to all wear bikini tops and the guys were always exposing their tan physiques, usually embellished with six packs—not that she minded whatsoever. "There are no boys in my current schedule and I promise I won't be betrothed until I'm forty. Toast?" She innocently presented a plate of two crisp slices of buttered toast in hopes of remedying his mood.

Snow snatched one of the slices and took a violent bite out of it. "Let's make it forty-five and we'll have a deal."

"You can at least chew your food." She rolled her eyes but kissed him on the cheek regardless. She pointed to the mess he made when he spit out his coffee from earlier. "You're cleaning that up, by the way."

Snow mumbled under his breath but felt that it was fair enough.

Kairi made the finishing touches on the pancakes with maple syrup and whip cream shaped as smiley faces. She noticed that a certain artist hadn't come downstairs yet. She huffed at the loose strings of her hair framing her face but decided to remain upbeat regardless.

"Breakfast," Kairi sang sweetly near the stairs, beckoning her sister. When there was no Naminé within the next sixty seconds, she cleared her throat. "I said... breakfast!"

When Kairi tapped her foot and set her hands on her hips, Snow knew she was getting fed up.

"Naminé," Kairi called out. "I'm trying to ask nicely here. But I need you to cooperate with me. You don't want to miss out on scrambled eggs and toast, do you?"

Still no response. She hoped to get Naminé into better sleeping and eating habits, meaning that sleeping until 2PM in the afternoon was unacceptable.

After five minutes of waiting, Kairi lost it. "Young lady! You have approximately two point five seconds to get your butt down here this instant and eat breakfast with your wonderful, supportive, and _loving_ family before I march up these stairs and shove it down your throat!"

Snow winced from the volume inflation but attempted to remain calm for her sake. "Naminé isn't used to waking up this early, Kairi," Snow said in a calming voice. "Maybe you should just—"

"Just what, **Dad?** " She shot him a look with a twitching eyebrow. " **Just. What?** "

"N-Nothing, sweetheart." Her yell made even him jump in his seat a little. Nonetheless, it was enough to get Naminé to finally come trudging downstairs. She looked like a zombie, her loose-fitting sleep attire hanging from her body.

"Oh, there you are," Kairi said, feigning innocence as if she weren't making harsh threats just moments prior. "Did I wake you?"

The half-awake Naminé stared at her sister, whose grin reeked of an oddly oxymoronic mixture of both guilt and satisfaction. "Nope."

"Well, you look great!"

Naminé rubbed her droopy eyes. "You're an awful liar."

"Just sit down, will you?" Kairi asked. "Your plate is just about done and I'm almost finished making your beloved homemade orange juice."

"I don't see how you can do this morning thing, Kairi," Naminé said with a yawn. "Can't I just go back to bed?"

" **Sit. Down.** "

The threat put enough of a fright in Naminé to turn her obedient and she quickly, but timidly, sat at the table across from their father. The dark cloud looming over Kairi's head vanished immediately and she skipped over to finish preparing breakfast as if nothing happened. Naminé gave her father a look, to which he only responded with a shrug. Naminé's confusion was replaced with pleasure once she took in a waft of the scrambled eggs.

"Make sure that if either of you leave, you're back by seven-thirty," Snow demanded. "I'm looking at you in particular, Kairi."

"Whaaaat?" Kairi asked, fluttering her eyelashes while setting their plates on the table. "Innocent little me? I'd never!"

"Nice try." Snow started cutting his pancakes into triangles. "How about you, Naminé? Any plans for today?"

"Well, um, not much," Naminé muttered, taking a modest bite out of her eggs. "I'll probably just watch some cartoons or something."

"Oh," Snow said, uncertain what to make of that. "I see."

Kairi beamed at the opportunity. "If you're not doing anything, you should come to the mall with me and Xion in about an hour. After that, we might head over to Avalanche Fitness to watch Riku train for the struggle tournament."

"Who's this Riku? Where exactly is the entertainment value of watching him train?" Snow asked, narrowing his eyes. Kairi ignored him.

"I don't think I'm up for it today," Naminé snapped, already exasperated. Kairi never learned.

"But it's not a party this time!" Kairi defended. "Just a friendly get-together between us and a few friendly faces. They're all close to Xion, so we should be able to trust them. You can do that, can't you?"

"Kairi." Naminé said her name as if it were a warning. "The more you beg, the more you make me _not_ want to go. I would very much appreciate it if you stopped right now."

"But—"

"No, Kairi."

Kairi wanted to protest but the look in Naminé's eye made her hold her tongue for once.

"I think I'm gonna eat upstairs." Naminé rose from her seat and picked up her plate. "Thank you for the food."

And within moments, she was gone. Normally, Kairi would have demanded that her sister remain at the table, but she decided to let Naminé have this one, if only just for the sake of keeping the morning peaceful and drama free. Kairi huffed and crossed her arms with an immature pout.

Why did it always have to end up like this? Kairi meant no harm. She was just worried sick. Naminé lost so much strength and her fatigue was becoming more evident every day. Kairi just wanted to break her out of her shell and be comfortable in her own skin. She wished she knew how to help.

Snow eventually broke the silence. "So, who's this Riku?"

* * *

Snow pulled up to the mall, right across the street from Avalanche Fitness. After wishing her father a good day at the office and bidding him a temporary farewell, Kairi exited the SUV and stepped through the automated doors of the fairly large building.

She observed the rather clean, and somewhat high-tech, main lobby and was impressed by its scale. After being searched and scanned for practical weapons by the security guards, she was forced to wear a protective bracelet that would restrict her from summoning mystical weapons like chakrams or, most notably, Keyblades. Kairi found it a hassle since she didn't wield a Keyblade (though she totally could if she wanted to), not to mention the bland grey clashed with her colorful white and pink ensemble, but she understood the necessity of it. It would be a disaster if some jerk attacked the entire facility using an oversized key capable of producing powerful magic.

The mall was intimidating in its proportions. Futuristic walls with LED lights shifted through intricate patterns, the marble floor was polished to the point of being capable of reflection, sunlight provided the main source of illumination thanks to the large windows covering the majority of the ceiling, and islanders, carefree and jovial, walked amongst their friendship circles. Xion texted her their location but it didn't make the place feel like any less of a maze. Even the directory wasn't much of a help. She turned the corner and—

"Oof!"

—unexpectedly crashed into somebody running at full speed.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry," said the voice of the speed demon.

"It's okay," she insisted, rubbing her head. When she opened her eyes, she instantly recognized the unruly hair of the perpetrator. "Hey, I remember you. It's... Sora, right?"

His eyes opened at the sound of his name. "Kairi?" He was quick to help her to her feet, but he seemed distracted by something behind him.

"What are you—"

"Sorry, no time to explain!" Sora said, cutting off her question. Without warning, he grabbed the befuddled redhead by the hand and rushed down the hallway. She presumed he was running away from something, but was left puzzled when she saw nothing behind them. He led her into a closet located by the bathrooms. They were blanketed by darkness until Sora turned on the light.

The closet was extremely tight, forcing them into a position that required a great amount of proximity. Kairi struggled to make eye contact without sacrificing her level of comfort. Instead, she stared blankly at the wall behind him while her cheeks flared from the borderline intimate position they found themselves in. She didn't even notice that Sora was blushing as well.

"Hey," were the first words Sora said in hopes of dispelling some of the awkward tension. He gave an embarrassed, toothy smile.

"Hi," Kairi squeaked out. Their eyes wandered the tight space amidst the silence until Kairi spoke again. "Can I just say that I... _really_ adore the way your hair sticks up like that?"

Sora grinned at the compliment while using his index finger and thumb to touch the tips of one of his spikes. "Thanks. To tell you the truth, I don't know why it's like this." Kairi gave a polite smile but neither could maintain eye contact. "Your hair is pretty great, too. Natural?"

"Yup, totally natural. I get that a lot."

"Cool." Suddenly, Sora found the dents etched into the ceiling very interesting while Kairi attempted to keep her eyes trained on the amount of cleaning supplies surrounding them.

Behind Kairi, Sora spotted slivers of light from the hallway beneath the door. It looked like someone was approaching. The shadows of their feet clumped against the marble floor and the doorknob rattled.

The pair gulped and Sora in particular became restless at the thought of who it might be. He instinctively held Kairi close and kept their heads low. When the door opened, Sora and Kairi winced from the piercing light and prepared for the worst.

"Oh, god fucking damn it," came a gruff, irritable voice. Sora opened his eyes with a dumbfounded expression. It certainly wasn't the voice he was expecting.

Instead, it was a chunky man wearing a beige uniform with the mall's logo on the chest and a matching cap who was gripping the rod of a mop. He gawked at the two teens with a combined look of disgust and anger.

"You gotta be kiddin' me. This is the fourth time this week I've had to deal with you goddamn kids. How come my closet has to be the rendezvous point for daily seven minutes in heaven sessions?"

Sora and Kairi released each other immediately and nearly fell on their way out of the cramped closet, both unable to conceal the intense crimson rising to their cheeks. "It's not what it looks like!" they urged gracelessly while flailing their arms.

"Sure, kid. It's _never_ what it looks like." The two tried explaining the situation to the grumpy janitor but he just shook his head. "Look, I get it. Once upon a time, I was a teenager myself, but that don't mean I gotta stand for this kinda crap on my nine to five. Luckily I caught you sickos before you defiled my closet. Go find somewhere else to deal with your... needs."

Sora tried to defend themselves once again. "I'm telling you, that's not—"

He cut himself off when Kairi hugged his arm. "We're so sorry about that, sir. We'll get out of your way now. Let's go, uh... babe."

"Babe?!" Sora reluctantly allowed Kairi to drag him away from the janitor. "Why'd you say that?" he asked once they were around the corner.

"There was no point talking him out of the wrong idea, so why not just let him have the wrong idea and move on?"

"As long as it doesn't bite us in the butt later on."

"Don't jinx it," she said playfully. She dragged him to a quiet corner for them to talk a bit more privately. "So, what was that all about?"

"What?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, a gesture Kairi found adorable.

She scoffed amusedly. "You know, the whole running away and forcing me into a closet thing? Is that your way of hitting on girls?"

"No, not at all," he said with a lousy chuckle. "I was just, uh... playing hide and seek," he explained lamely and inwardly hit himself in the head for vocalizing that terrible cover up.

"Playing hide and seek," she echoed, tapping her chin and raising an eyebrow. "With who?"

"N-No one!" Sora stammered. "I-I mean, you know, just some friends of mine." He chuckled nervously and opted for a more casual appearance, painfully contrived, as he leaned against a nearby cart full of cleaning equipment. Just his luck, he ended up unintentionally pushing the cart forward and fell flat on his face.

The failed attempt made Kairi laugh. "Smooth."

Sora recovered from the blunder a bit embarrassed but maintained a humored smile. "So, what brings you out here?" he asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Actually, I came to see your sister," Kairi answered. "You wouldn't happen to know where she might be, would you?"

The boy put a finger to his chin. "Well, as a matter of fact..."

* * *

"Okay, I'm just gonna come out with it, whether you like it or not," Xion said. There was a sharp fixation in her eyes. "I'm tired of not being able to be open with my feelings. I'm tired of hiding myself from you. And I'm tired of you always being oblivious about everything. You're one of the most important people in my life and I wouldn't be who I am without you. So, just—stop being an idiot and try to understand how I feel, Roxas."

"Nope," Riku deadpanned. "That won't cut it."

Her shoulders shrunk.

They sat at one of the booths in the spacious food court. Xion sat across from Riku, who sipped on his paopu juice nonchalantly. She often confided in Riku for advice, though his suggestion to practice her confession on him wasn't proving to be much of a success.

"I thought you said to go for something sincere and to true to myself," Xion pointed out. "That's how I always talk to Roxas."

"Yes, as his friend. But the goal is to become more than friends and that sounded more like you were nagging at him about unfinished homework. I hope I don't have to explain how unflattering that is as a confession." Riku took a loud sip from his straw.

Xion rested her chin against the table. "Why does this stuff have to be so complicated?"

Riku wore an amused but sympathetic smile. "For what it's worth, you being terrible at this is kind of cute."

His grin deflated the instant he received her unflattered scowl as a response.

"Or not," he mumbled with a pellet of sweat inching down the side of his forehead. He composed himself before speaking again. "Okay, try again." He waved his styrofoam cup around lazily. "This time, with a little bit more... femininity, if you will."

"And what exactly is _that_ supposed to mean?" she asked, taking offense at the implication.

"Be a bit more, eh... seductive. Don't be desperate, but make it clear that you're interested in more than just eating sea-salt ice cream bars on clock towers. Let him know you want to eat sea-salt ice cream bars on clock towers while making out."

Xion blushed at the thought. She took a deep breath before flipping back what little hair she had considering her pixie haircut to reveal a sultry look in her eyes. "Roxas," she said in a husky voice. "I've been meaning to tell you this for a long time, but—I want you. I _need_ you. You're _everything_ to me."

He stared at her blankly before discreetly shifting in his seat and clearing his throat. "That works—"

Xion beamed.

"—if you want him to think you're a prostitute," he finished.

Xion groaned.

"That would probably get you a one night stand resulting in a very awkward conversation with him in the morning, at best." With a playful smirk, he added, "Which, after that performance, I am personally down for if you are."

"Zip it," she snapped. She then bulged out her bottom lip. "Can we just stop already? This is embarrassing."

Riku shrugged. "You might want to get used to it. Confessions aren't ever really a smooth sail. It comes with a lot of feelings, and that includes awkwardness."

"But this is impossible," she whined.

"No kidding. This is the friendzone, after all," Riku explained. "Not to mention, the _childhood_ friendzone, which automatically makes it about twenty times harder."

"I know, right?" She buried her face into her hands. "But can't you help me get out of it, self-proclaimed Master of Attraction?"

"A master is only as good as his student, young grasshopper," Riku said in a dramatic voice. "Like a chocobo attempting to teach a moogle how to fly, he cannot teach she who does not wish to be taught."

"That made absolutely no sense and yet, I think I'm _still_ offended." She looked at the ceiling and mindlessly watched the fans spin in rapid succession. "I'm just so confused. I don't even know if confessing is the right thing to do. Maybe I'll just make a mess of everything."

Riku pitied her wistful appearance. He placed a hand onto hers affectionately. "Listen, I get that it seems intimidating and it's not an easy thing to risk. But if you're waiting for the right opportunity, you'll be waiting forever. Worst case scenario, you'll miss your chance. My advice: just tell him how you feel. If you want to take things to the next level, you might have to be a bit bolder than you're used to. If it's worth the risk, I say it's worth taking. The worst thing in life is to be full of regrets."

Xion blinked. "Huh. That was surprisingly deep. For you, anyway."

"I'll take that as a compliment. But you know I'm right."

"Ugh." She leaned her face with her palms. "Now you sound like Lea."

"I'll take that as an insult." Xion giggled in agreement. "Honestly, I think it would be better if he was the one to ask you out. Roxas is my guy but you shouldn't have to embarrass yourself for him. You don't deserve that."

"I suppose." Xion furrowed her eyebrows. "But how would I even get him to notice me?"

Riku grinned. "Well, that's the challenge, isn't it?"

Xion recoiled slightly, not sure how she felt about the mischievous curl of his lips. "What's with you? Do you have an idea?"

"Maybe," he answered in a singsong voice.

"Hey, guys!"

The pair turned their attention towards the source of the familiar voice. Across the room, Sora waved at them with his usual boundless energy and bright smile. Peering from behind his shoulder was a familiar-looking redhead.

"I'm glad you could make it, Kairi," Xion called, waving her over.

Riku nearly choked on his straw at the mention of her name and the confirmation of her appearance. "You didn't tell me she was coming," he whispered to Xion.

"Should I have?"

"It would've been nice to know." He immediately began straightening out his shirt. "How do I look?"

Xion looked him up and down. "Hot," she shamelessly admitted. Their relationship was completely platonic but even she couldn't deny a certain physical attraction. Not many could.

He made a boyish grin. "Perfect."

Sora and Kairi, both in their usual high spirits, approached the pair with Sora being the first to break the ice. "Hey, Riku. You remember Kairi, right?"

"How could I forget?" Riku said confidently. When he stood before her, Kairi noticed that, unlike Sora, Riku was noticeably taller than her. "I can't say I cross paths with beautiful redheads often."

He reached for her hand, preparing to give it another kiss like the other day, but Kairi retracted. "Nuh uh, big guy," she said teasingly. "I thought I made it clear? Don't confuse me for one of your fangirls."

Again, Riku was left wide-eyed. Girls never just sidestepped him like that. Not to mention, twice.

Xion couldn't contain her amusement at his dumbstruck expression. "Tell us, Mr. Master of Attraction and Seduction, how does it feel to have finally come to grips with your own mortality?"

"Shut up," he stammered. "I never said that." But his attempt was futile, as Kairi was already laughing at the redness of his cheeks. Sora merely patted him on the shoulder with a smile that said, _Sorry, buddy. Better luck next time._ Riku shirked his shoulder away.

"Anyway, it's about time you got here, Sora," Riku said, eager to change the topic. "How about I meet you in the ring for a little one-on-one at Avalanche? I've been wanting to whip you into shape all day."

Sora made a motion with his fist. "You're on!"

Feeling her presence gradually undermined under the competitive shift in the conversation, Kairi decided to make herself scarce and sat next to Xion; not that either of the two noticed with their bickerings of who was better. Xion and Kairi looked at each other knowingly.

"Boys," they agreed in unison.

"Don't mind them," Xion said. "They're always like this."

"Aren't they all?"

Xion looked at the table and gave an admirable smile. "You'd be surprised. Roxas isn't really like that. He has his moments, but unlike these idiots, he doesn't have the constant need to justify his testosterone."

Kairi noticed the look in Xion's eyes. Before Kairi could question her, the four were distracted by a sudden entry in the mostly empty food court from across the room. Sora froze at the sight of the three individuals, two of them garbed in very lavish-looking robes that hid their faces. The one in the middle, a woman with short blue hair clad in attire that looked like a cross between professional business attire and battle armor, had her arms crossed and a deadeye vision on Sora.

"Hey, Aqua," Sora said awkwardly as she approached.

"You look stunning today," Riku complimented.

"Hello, Riku," Aqua quickly said without sparing him a glance, all-too familiar with his antics. "Let's go, Sora. We have things to do."

Sora was about to make a break for it before Riku foresaw his predictable actions and merely held him in place by grabbing the back of his shirt. Sora soon gave up.

"Do I _have_ to?" Sora whined. Her impatient stare and foot tapping was enough of an answer. Sora begrudgingly trudged over to her after saying goodbye to his friends.

Kairi was confused by the exchange. "Who's that supposed to be?"

"Aqua is Sora's assigned Master. She trains him pretty often," Xion answered. "She's really sweet, just a little uptight."

"And the bodyguards wearing fancy cloaks?"

Xion gave an apologetic smile as she chuckled. "Maybe you better ask Sora about it later."

Kairi didn't understand why Xion seemed evasive but she couldn't deny that her curiosity had been aroused. She looked over and noticed something bitter about Riku. She felt out of the loop.

As Sora approached his Master, he gave a sheepish smile in hopes of forgiveness. Aqua, despite being angry with him, couldn't help but sigh her frustration away momentarily.

"Come on," Aqua said. "Let's get you back to the dojo."

Sora slumped his shoulders in defeat. He turned back and waved at Kairi one last time, trying to put on a smile for her, but Kairi thought it was plain to see that he was dejected. She waved back, her eyes sympathetic.

Out in the hallway, they walked in silence. Aqua glanced at the miserable boy every so often before finally breaking the sour air. "You shouldn't run off like that without telling anyone, Sora. That's so unlike you."

"I know," Sora said in a low voice. "I'm sorry."

"I understand that this isn't an easy burden to bear. I can't say I fully agree putting such a huge responsibility on someone so young. If it were up to me, you'd be spending everyday living a normal life, like you should be. And I try to give you as much leeway as I possibly can but there are times when I must put my foot down. This is just the way things are right now."

"Yeah, but... why me?"

She smiled at him. "Because it has to be you."

The encouragement didn't seem to elevate his mood much, as he just continued to look confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Maybe you'll understand when you're a bit older," she said, somewhat distant. "Until then, we'll need to get back to the dojo and begin your sets of Blizzara before we move on to the more advanced sets of Blizzaga."

"But I did that already," Sora whined. "Can't we do something else today?"

She gave him the dreaded puppy dog face. "Please? For me?"

Sora sighed. He hated when she played that card. She may have been his Master, but she was also his friend and he didn't want to make things difficult for her. Training just felt like such a chore as of late. He didn't blame Aqua. In fact, he was grateful to her—she made sure he had more of a normal life than most Masters might have allowed. He was lucky to have her.

"Okay," he answered.

"Thank you, Sora," Aqua said. "Tell you what, how about we go to the Mirage Arena tomorrow and go rumble racing together, just you and me?"

That suggestion certainly brightened the fun-loving boy. "Yeah!"

She smiled at her pupil. "It's a deal."

* * *

Naminé stared at her tablet.

It was blank; devoid of life and color. Just a big, blank, white, and empty canvas that begged to be filled with beautiful imagery from the source of the most vibrant of imaginations. Yet Naminé couldn't bring herself to draw a line. She hoped that her lack of glasses was the result of her artist's block, but it seemed that wasn't the case. Her brain was the problem.

Sighing, she decided to put the tablet away and spend a few hours on her laptop. She got onto the floor and under her desk to plug in her charger before hitting her head against the bottom when trying to get up. "Ow!"

As she rubbed her head irritably, she noticed a flyer flutter to the carpet. She recognized the flyer that read "The Castle of Dreams." Most people were aware of the royal ball that happened there almost every year. Naminé used to fantasize about it often. In fact, there was a time when she fantasized about journeying to multiple other worlds. It would have been an excellent form of inspiration for her artwork. Those days were long gone. Travelling seemed like too much of a hassle and scary.

When her stomach groaned for nourishment, Naminé trudged downstairs in the lonely house with Mocchi following close behind. Her tired eyes examined the living room. The couch, the TV, the flower vase with abstract designs, the sectional sofa, and the glass coffee table—they were all frozen in time. But she was used to it. Kairi was always out having a social life and her father was always at work. At least Mocchi kept her company.

She opened the fridge and, to her utter dismay, they were all out of mint and chocolate chip ice cream. Blasphemy! How could she dare watch cartoons without ice cream? She surmised with great remorse that she would just have to call and ask Kairi to bring some back for her. After closing the fridge, she saw a plate wrapped in aluminum foil with a sticky note attached to it.

_**For Naminé. Fixed some lunch for you. Just heat it up in the microwave and it should be good to go. Call me if you need me to bring you anything back while I'm out. I'll be home to make dinner later. Love you lots xoxo** _

_**P.S. Don't forget to brush your teeth!** _

There was no name attached but Naminé took a wild guess at who the culprit was.

As naggy and nosey as her sister could be, Naminé still loved and appreciated her with all her heart. In fact, she regretted getting snippy at her that morning. After everything Kairi had done, all the unappreciative Naminé could do was yell at her for trying to help. She was almost like a second mother to her.

Naminé paused when she realized she used the "M" word.

It was hard to believe it had already been almost six years. She could still feel her soothing touch that seemed to have a knack for healing emotional scars. She still heard her gentle voice that eased her anxiety. She still saw the warmth of her smile. She still remembered when she was five-years-old, sitting at the top of a loopy waterslide in the secure embrace of her mother, tears streaming down her cheeks. It looked fun, but it also looked scary. Kairi had already slid down fearlessly, but Naminé was never as brave as her sister. But it was her mother who wiped her tears away and scolded her for comparing herself to anyone else but herself. It was enough to give Naminé the courage to go down the slide, not because Kairi did it, but because it looked fun.

She wondered what her mother would say to her if she were alive to see what became of her.

" _Stop that," Serah said in a chastising voice in response to the young Naminé berating herself. "I don't ever want to hear you comparing yourself to anyone, little one. Not to me. Not to your father. And certainly not your sister. Kairi is Kairi. You are you. Never forget who you are. Fear is just our minds playing tricks on us. Always remember that when you're in my arms, with every bone in my body, I will keep you safe. Am I understood?"_

Even if she was gone, it still felt like she was there. She would be supportive but disappointed to see what a cowardly mess the artist had become. This was something simple. It was a mere walk to the store. It might have taken time for her to be truly confident in herself but Kairi was right. She had to at least try.

Her mother would give her strength.

After twenty-five minutes of internal conflict and contemplating her actions, Naminé finally decided to muster up the courage to walk to the convenience store down the street and pick up some ice cream. She stood at the front door of her house dressed in an oversized baby pink sweater and baggy sweatpants. Her body was stiff from head to toes.

"O-Okay, Mocchi," she said, turning to the kitten that watched her a few feet away with curious eyes. "Here I go."

Naminé reached for the doorknob with a shaky hand, feeling the inside of her body become hotter the further she reached, before withdrawing her arm instantly.

"You know what? Who needs ice cream, anyway?" Naminé began to undress. "I can just call Dad and he can stop by the convenience store on his way back from work and—"

She froze when she caught what she interpreted as an intense stare from Mocchi and bit her lip. "You're never going to overcome your fears if you don't take the first step," Mocchi said. Her voice happened to be high-pitched and nasally but Naminé found there was something endearing about it that kept it from being annoying.

Naminé sighed, putting her sweater back on. "Yes, I know," she muttered. "I should get this over with, shouldn't I?"

Naminé stared at the door. Why was she making this so much more difficult than it had to be? A trip for a tub of ice cream should not have been that hard. She was just outside a few days before. She could do it again, couldn't she? But she also had Kairi with her at the time. This time, it was just Naminé. It felt like the door stood ten feet over her, belittling her for her cowardice.

But this was the first step. She would never be able to recover if she kept closing herself out from the real world. She just had to do it and get it over with. And maybe cry into her pillow for a few hours after the fact.

She took in a deep breath and gently let it out to alleviate her anxiety. She gave Mocchi a final, almost dramatic look. "Wish me luck!" she said before muttering, "And get started on writing my will."

Reluctantly, she opened the door to the outside world.

It was a sunny day in Destiny Islands. The air was fresh. The clouds were a little grey, but the temperature was warmer than she expected. The sweater began to feel like overkill. But she didn't care. It was better than showing off her pale arms.

She walked briskly. She paid no mind to the decently populated area and made sure to keep all eye contact to a minimum. There was only the goal: ice cream. It would be a quick, easy, and painless journey for her sweet, sugary goodness.

Then she heard a rumble. And then another rumble. Then something wet splashed against her forehead and trailed down the ends of her chin before splashing against the sandy pavement.

Soon enough, Naminé braced herself for the incoming downpour from the clouds. In a matter of seconds, the introverted recluse was drenched beneath the tears of the sky. She realized that the oversized sweater went from being overkill to laughably underwhelming. She noticed others that were outside on their joyous strolls around town scurried back to whatever hole they came from, but Naminé was already halfway to the store. She wasn't going to give up, despite the fact she was disgusted by the areas in which she felt water infiltrating her body at the moment.

She contracted her upper half as she pressed forward, wincing at the sudden rush of wind blowing at her with a mighty howl. How could such a warm, sunny day turn into one full of rage and ferocity in such a short amount of time? Naminé wondered if getting out of the house upset the balance of the universe and caused a rift in the timeline.

The longer she walked, the harder it became, and the more she felt her fatigue kicking in. She considered turning around multiple times but ultimately pushed forward. She was not going to allow fear to decide her future any longer and the rain wasn't going to stop her.

At long last, after what just felt like a hike up Mount Olympus, she reached the convenience store. With long-winded steps, she inched closer and closer to the store and was ready to go inside. She had come this far. Nothing was going to weaken her resolve now.

That's what she thought, at least, until she saw Roxas standing by the counter talking to an unfamiliar face.

If there was anything worse than being susceptible to the public scrutiny of strangers, it was running into somebody she already knew and started to feel the conflict of whether she should approach them or avoid all unnecessary contact. Of course he would be there. Why did she expect any less? Naminé quickly pushed herself against the wall next to the door before he could see her. It just wasn't her day.

For a split-second, she considered running away and forgetting the day ever happened. But she knew she couldn't go out like that. This wasn't about ice cream or the fact that she was shivering like a wet dog. This was about proving to herself that she could overcome obstacles.

She shut her eyes tight, preparing herself mentally, before quickly pushing the door open. She made a quick glance over at Roxas and he almost seemed upset. The guy he was talking to wore a beanie and had a scar trailing down the bridge of his nose. She quickly covered the side of her eyes as she made her way to the freezers in the back before Roxas could notice her. The store was rather small, so she could overhear some of their ongoing conversation.

"Snap out of it, Roxas," the scarred stranger said. "I'm sick of hearing about this gummi ship bullshit. Ain't that a bit beneath you? We got more important things to worry about. We need you on the team."

Roxas didn't spare him a glance as he leaned against the counter while the clerk scanned the few items he had. "Sorry, Seifer. Hate to disappoint you, but it's not my calling. It's not my destiny."

"It ain't about destiny anymore," Seifer snapped. "This is about the greater good. Look man, I hate to admit it, but you're one of the most talented guys in Destiny Islands. Maybe the galaxy. You can't squander your gifts for some cheap seventh-grade fantasy. What do you think your father would say?"

Roxas chuckled, though it sounded humorless. He thanked the clerk and took his small plastic bag from the counter. "Well, you know what they say. Better safe than losing your soul trying to live up to the legacy of someone who had a thing for crossdressing. They do say that, right?"

Seifer grabbed him by the arm. "This isn't a joke. It's time to face the real world and grow up."

Roxas, beginning to lose his patience, shirked his arm away. "Funny, I was just about to say the same thing to you."

While the two boys were locked in a glaring contest, Naminé placed two tubs of mint and chocolate chip ice cream on the counter. Thankfully, Roxas' back was turned to her. But he wasn't leaving. It seemed like he was going to wait out on the rain, which made Naminé internally groan even more. She placed ten munny on the counter, not even aware of the concerned look of the girl operating the register. She asked if Naminé was okay and she, not wanting her voice to be heard by a certain someone, nodded.

However, she wasn't okay. In fact, she could feel her head getting heavier and her skin getting clammier. Suddenly, things started to get fuzzier... and darker... and hazier... until she collapsed on the floor with a very noticeable thud.

The few stragglers in the store waiting for the rain to simmer down, Seifer, Roxas, and the clerk included, noticed the sporadic turn of events with the utmost amount of concern and immediately rushed to Naminé's side.

Roxas kneeled down to his knees and lifted the upper half of her limp body. The good news was that the girl was breathing, but she was out cold. It only took him a second longer to recognize the familiar face and become horrified.

"Naminé?"

_**Memories of Turmoil** _


	5. Memories of Forgiveness

Roxas,

I shouldn't have forgiven you. And I say that with love, I promise!

But honestly, what kind of idiot breaks into the home of someone they barely know, just met if you want to get technical, and expects a howdy doo? The fact that we somehow went from that to taking walks on the beach, hand in hand, is really bizarre to me. It was definitely not a good early impression.

And yet, here we are. I guess that's how love works. It doesn't always have a logical explanation. There's no correct formula. It just happens and it's not always in our control. I know it drives some people crazy, for better or worse. How we bounced back from such a rocky start, I have no idea.

I guess I should give you a little more credit than that. I did owe you for a few things you had already done for me by then. But that doesn't justify anything. It served you right when I got you back for it. My father is a cop, for goodness sake!

But somehow, we persevered.

And I'm glad.

* * *

Stuffy nose. Thumping headache. Dry mouth. Sweat dripping down the sides of her forehead. Naminé hated this sensation. The more she stirred out of her sleep, the more the day ahead seemed dreadful. A heavy weight pinned her against a soft mattress and it took what little strength she had left to power out of the stronghold of her suspended consciousness.

She let out a few incoherent murmurs as she opened her droopy eyes, trying to process the streaks of sunlight shooting through the window. Judging by the familiar ceiling, Naminé figured she was back in her room. How she got there was still a mystery. Something warm laid flat against her forehead. Naminé placed a hand on it and discovered that it was a warm rag. With a bit of willpower, she used her elbows to prop herself upright, groaning the pain away and lightly massaging her temples to suppress the aching.

It took a moment for her to finally crane her neck to her left. Any remaining logic wasn't applicable as she witnessed a boy knocked out cold on the side of her bed, his limp upper half sprawled across her mattress. Presuming it was a stranger, she shrieked and backed into the corner while clutching her sheets for dear life.

The scream was intense enough to wake the boy up and resulted in his screams meshing with hers unflatteringly. He grunted as the whiplash from Naminé's tug against her comforter jerked him out of her chair and sent him stumbling backwards. He crashed into the wall and laid dizzy in his half-woken stupor.

After closer inspection (made more difficult due to not having her glasses on), she finally recognized the stranger in question. "...Woxas?"

Her first instinct was to cringe after hearing her own voice. She was stuffy and congested. Naminé quickly retrieved her glasses from her desk and put them on hastily. And there he was—Roxas, struck in a daze as if birds were fluttering around his head.

"S-Sowwy," the stuffy-nosed Naminé sputtered. She failed to bite back the sneeze that followed. "W-Wait, I'm _not_ sowwy! Why ahre you en mah room? How'd you get en here wittout a khey?"

"Um... what?" he said as he scratched the back of his scalp. "Listen, if you'd just calm down for a sec—"

" **WHERE?!** " Kairi busted through the door with a kitchen knife in hand, ready to stab any fool who dared lay their slimy hands on her sister. She unintentionally knocked the edge of the door against the back of Roxas's head in the process. Kairi immediately covered her mouth with both hands. "Oh my god, I am _so_ sorry!"

Roxas groaned, feeling as if he had become the twin's punching bag for slapstick gags at this point. "Look, if you guys got something against me, just lemme know and I'm gone."

"Total freak accident," Kairi insisted as she helped Roxas onto his feet.

"W-W-W-What's goin'g on here?" Naminé asked, still hesitant to pry away from her corner. "Can'g one of you pwease fill meh en on what's goin'g on here? Becawse I'm really uncomf'able an' cuhfoosed wight now."

"...What?" Kairi asked, raising an eyebrow, looking at Roxas for help. He simply shrugged, equally confused. However, Naminé's death glare was enough to send a shiver down their spines. "S-Sorry!" Kairi continued. "Everything is fine. Roxas brought you back. You, uh... you passed out at the convenience store. I just happened to be on my way back from the mall when I found him carrying you down the street, completely soaked by the rain."

"I-I... passed ou't?" Naminé wondered. The memory eventually resurfaced. She was watching Roxas talking to that guy out of the corner of her eye. Everything after that was blank.

Roxas, still frustrated, massaged the pain lingering against his scalp. "And as a show of gratitude, I get a loud good morning and a bump on my head."

"Don't blame Roxas," Kairi said. "I know you don't like other people in your room but when I came back to put that rag over your forehead, he was already asleep. I figured the rain got to him too and I couldn't bring myself to wake him up. It's my fault."

Naminé shook her head. "D-Don't wowwy about it."

"I was going to take you to a hospital," Roxas said, rubbing the back of his head. "But Kairi told me not to worry and that this has happened to you before since you, uh... don't much exercise. So, we brought you back here instead so you could get some rest."

Naminé nodded slowly. "I-I-I see."

A few beats passed without a word. Since the misunderstandings were resolved, the air became stiff. Naminé was still too embarrassed to look Roxas in the eye and vice versa in some respects. Kairi could sense that the two needed to sort some things out.

"You guys look and sound awful so I think I'm gonna whip you both up some chicken noodle soup," Kairi said cheerily. "You two sit tight."

Naminé panicked. Did that mean she had to be alone? With him? In her room? Again? She shut her eyes and held her sheets close. Why did Kairi always have to do stuff like this?

"Oh no, it's okay," Roxas said politely. "I've already caused you both enough trouble. I should probably go before—"

"Put a sock in it," Kairi said, putting her finger to his lips. "I offered so it's fine! But hide out here in case Dad gets home early. We don't need him getting the wrong idea."

"Wouldn't it be worse if he saw me alone with Naminé in her own bedroom?"

"There's always the window."

Roxas wasn't sure how he felt about Kairi answering so quickly. Little did she know, that window brought back a bittersweet memory for him. "Gee, Kairi. You're all heart," he said cynically.

Kairi beamed in his direction before patting him on the shoulder. Once she was gone and out of earshot, the awkward air returned. Naminé refused to look in Roxas's direction, although she didn't seem as tense as before. Her cheeks were red, though Roxas couldn't surmise whether it was from the obvious cold she had or out of embarrassment. Or both. As usual, it was on him to lighten the mood.

He reclaimed his position in her chair and spun it so that he was sitting in it backwards. Her slight fidgeting at his movements didn't go unnoticed. "So," he began casually. "Could you do me a favor and say how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? I get the feeling it'll be hilarious with how your voice sounds right now."

Naminé didn't acknowledge what she considered a stupid joke and kept her eyes trained on the oak tree outside her window.

Roxas frowned. "Silent treatment again, huh? That's not very nice. Especially to the guy who's saved your life like, what, three times already?"

"F-For tha wecord, I don't thin'gk retuwning my glasses hawdly counts as savin'g my life." Naminé took in a deep breath and found the will to look him in his eyes. "Which, I am still mad a'h you for."

Roxas couldn't believe it. She might have been angry but they were finally having an actual conversation that wasn't completely one-sided. He kept a cool front but on the inside, he was more like a giddy school girl who got acknowledged by their senpai.

"For returning your glasses?" he asked.

"For breakin'g and enterin'g my house," Naminé corrected angrily.

Roxas let out a guilty chuckle. "Gotcha."

"Do you realize how creephy tha't is? You neary gave me'h a hawt attack! An' we barely know each other!"

"Okay, I hear you," he stammered, raising his hands defensively. "So it was a bit reckless of me but I wasn't sure what else I was supposed to do. We both know you weren't gonna answer the door."

"There's this thi'g called a mailbox."

"That doesn't seem very fun. I like to try and keep things interesting." He laughed but Naminé wasn't amused. "To tell you the truth, I kinda wanted to see how you'd react. People are the most telling and honest when in crisis."

"So, that's your justification for scawing tha wits outta me?" Naminé asked incredulously. "And here I was, thinki'g you were more mature than this."

That one made Roxas stop laughing. "Ouch," was all he could say.

Her tone was cold and it stung. He admitted to himself he was caught up in the moment. He'd pull dumb pranks like that on Xion and Axel all the time and it was no big deal. For a moment, he forgot that not everyone would be receptive to such tomfoolery and consider how much it would really scare her. Not in a way that would cause her to become distrustful towards him. She had every right to feel that way. He was such an idiot.

"Look, I know it wasn't the best first impression, and I probably seem like a creepy stalker at the moment, but I'm not always like that."

"That doesn't really halp your case."

He laughed nervously. "I blame my buddy, Lea. He's not exactly a good influence."

Naminé shifted her shoulders, still unsure. "What were you even tryin'g to do?"

Roxas rubbed the back of his head with a defeated expression, as if he were embarrassed to recall the instance. "I was planning to surprise you. As a prank, I guess. Just trying to figure out a way to break the ice between us."

"Seems like a plan you did'nt put much thought into."

"But it was a successful plan," he stated somewhat brashly. "We're talking right now, aren't we?"

Naminé blushed at the realization. Her temper distracted her from the fact that she was having a real conversation with someone who wasn't Kairi or her father. On top of that, she wasn't stuttering every five words. Was this part of his plan all along? She looked at the grin playing on his lips and pursed her own. What kind of evil mastermind was he?

"I-I guess," she said meekly. "But t-techniclly, for an entiwehly differ'nt weason."

"Fair enough," he conceded with a chuckle. "I used to think you couldn't speak at all but now I know it was just that I sucked at getting you to open up." He laughed meekly. "I'm really that off putting, huh?"

"N-No. You weren't off putti'g at all. Until you decided to bust into my house, anyway..."

"Guess I'm never living that one down."

"You won't," Naminé answered quickly, making him chuckle nervously. "I-In fact, it has nothi'g to do with you," she admitted with a tremble in her eyes. "It's not you... i-it's me."

"Already breaking up with me, huh? And we haven't even had our first date yet." Her cheeks rose in temperature at the implication. "J-Just kidding. If it makes you feel any better, I think you're doing just fine holding a conversation."

Naminé sniffed. "W-Weally?"

"Yeah, when you're not being a recluse," he teased. "Like not opening doors or refusing to speak."

Naminé didn't respond. Roxas figured he was getting the silent treatment again and getting a reaction out of her was just too tempting.

"Which is a shame," Roxas continued. "You should speak more often. You sound like you have a pretty voice." Naminé gulped. "Well, at least I think it's pretty. Hard to tell when it sounds like you're gargling your own saliva."

She scowled. "Sh-Shut up!"

Roxas chuckled. "Okay, okay. I'll stop being mean. Just don't go tsundere on me."

Naminé kept her lips tightly secured. She wasn't even sure how she felt about this guy. Was he a gentleman or not? At this point, the lines were blurred. She wasn't sure where to take the conversation next and waited for him to take the lead. Much to her dismay, that moment didn't come as soon as she would have liked and the two were trapped into another window of silence. Naminé internally cursed, begging for Kairi to swoop in with soup to save the day.

"Still an amazing conversationalist, I see," Roxas said coyly. Naminé frowned. Again with the teasing? "But hey, at least you were able to say something. Baby steps, right?"

The two of them heard a meow from the doorframe, one that Naminé recognized like the back of her hand. She suddenly felt more relaxed at the sight of her familiar feline companion, Mocchi, watching curiously by the door with her tail pointed upwards. She examined the stranger, her nose giving a slight twitch.

"I didn't know you had a cat. I didn't see her the last time."

Naminé nodded. "Her name is Mocchi. She's a little shy so she'll probably just keep her distance."

"Hey, girl!" Roxas greeted Mocchi with a friendly smile. He used the tip of his tongue against the roof of his mouth to make a light clicking sound with his lips and motioned the cat closer. "Come here." Immediately, Mocchi ran the other way. Roxas made a face as if he were heartbroken by the rejection. "Was it something I said?"

Naminé giggled. "Kind of. She's not a dog, silly. Cats don't work like that."

Roxas made a pouty face that Naminé admitted to herself was kind of adorable. Kind of. But not really. "So, how do I get her to like me?"

"Try being more gentle next time. Let her come to you. With cats, the last thing you want to do is try to force things. She probably just isn't sure whether to think of you as a threat or not."

"Man, I'm really bad at making first impressions lately, aren't I?"

"Kind of."

"Yikes." Roxas pretended to clutch his chest in pain. "Not even gonna try to make me feel better?"

"I'm supposed to lie?" she asked, somewhat playfully.

"Double yikes. Okay, is there any possible way for me to make it up to you? I'll do anything."

Naminé tapped her chin. "Anything?"

Roxas wasn't sure where she was going but figured Naminé seemed too nice to come up with anything too crazy. "Sure. I guess I deserve it."

"Hmmm." Her eyes wandered the room until they met a certain resolve. She took notice of the glass of water on her nightstand and took a drink while Roxas watched her curiously. After her long sip, she exhaled. "Okay."

Roxas thought that was needlessly dramatic. "...Okay?"

"Okay," Naminé reaffirmed. "I'm going to get back at you."

Roxas almost laughed. "Is that right? And how do you plan on pulling that off? I'll have you know, I'm the king of pranks around these streets."

Naminé shrugged. "I dunno. I'm sure it'll come to me. But don't underestimate me either. Whatever it ends up being, it'll be embarrassing. And you won't be able to back out of it. That's our deal. I hope you're prepared for that."

Roxas wasn't sure if he was amused or scared. "Well, somebody definitely flipped the switch... I was kinda hoping I'd just do some chores for you and we'd call it a day."

"Nope," she answered. "Won't be that easy. You're quite lucky I don't tell Kairi about that incident. Or the underwear that you happened to—"

"Okay!" Roxas said, waving his hands frantically. "Point made."

For the first time, he heard her laugh. She admitted to herself that she was starting to see the appeal of teasing someone else, and it felt good to not be on the receiving end of it for once. Once it died down, Roxas began to get a bit flustered. That smile of hers, however faint it was, didn't go unnoticed. He was happy that they were finally beginning to become somewhat acquainted. But before he could continue any further, there was something he needed to get off his chest.

"Listen, I really am sorry. You know, about the whole breaking into your home thing. I didn't mean to scare you. I thought it was going to be a harmless prank and it ended up making me look like a total weirdo and—"

"It's okay," Naminé interrupted. "I understand. You're not like that. You might be a weirdo, but... I don't think you're a bad guy."

"I'll... take that as a compliment."

Outside in the hallway, Kairi had her back pressed against the wall next to Naminé's room with a tray carrying two bowls of piping hot chicken noodle soup. The sound of her sister actually talking to someone made her suppress a giddy squeal. Not to mention it was a guy. A _cute_ guy.

Back in the room, Roxas extended his hand to Naminé. "We've been off to a weird and bizarre start so how about we start over? I'm Roxas."

Naminé glanced at her twiddling thumbs before looking his way. Eye contact was still a struggle but she at least didn't feel like she was going to explode in his presence anymore. He said his name was Roxas. She recalled the last time they spoke that he mentioned his last name was Strife. It was a last name she and many others were all-too-familiar with. "The son of Cloud, aren't you?"

For a split-second, he froze. He was surprised she remembered and even more surprised that her reaction was so casual. He shifted his eyes to the side. "Yeah, that's right."

Naminé reached for his hand, preparing to shake it. "My name is Nami..." She felt her nose fidget. "Nama... Namahhh-CHOO!" She instinctively sprayed into her previously extended hand. Roxas immediately retracted his own with an awkward chuckle and Naminé became flustered. In the hallway, Kairi smacked her forehead with her palm.

"How about we save the handshake for later, 'Namachoo'?" he teased.

"S-Sounds good," Naminé agreed, completely flustered.

Kairi figured it was time for her to swoop in and save the day. "I'm baaack!" she sang as she made her entrance.

Took her long enough, Naminé thought to herself bitterly.

With a smile, Kairi served them chicken noodle soup, both of them thanking her in return. "You already sound a little better, Naminé, but maybe the soup will help with the congestion. After you eat, you're going right back to sleep. I took your temperature while you were asleep and you were burning up."

"Yes, ma'am," Naminé replied dryly.

Kairi kept her hands on her hips while tapping her foot. "Geez. What am I going to do with you, little sister? I'm proud of you for going out by yourself but couldn't you have worn a little more than just a sweater?"

"Well, _I_ didn't know it was going to rain."

"You should've checked the weather report!"

Roxas laughed silently as Kairi nagged Naminé for the next fifteen minutes. After Roxas and Naminé finished eating, Kairi took their dishes downstairs and put them in the kitchen sink. Naminé decided it would be best for her to get some rest before Kairi chewed her out again. Roxas figured he better get home and let his mom know he was okay. She would understand after he explained the situation.

Before leaving, Roxas stopped and turned around to ask Naminé one last thing. Her head was resting into her pillow with a content look on her face.

"So, uh, I'll see you around maybe? Only if you're okay with that, of course."

As expected, she blushed at his inquiry. Suddenly, she couldn't look him in the eyes again and her lips trembled. For a moment, Roxas thought she was going to give another vague answer that gave him little indication of where to go next but her answer surprised him.

"I-I guess. If you want."

It was good enough for him. There was still so much he wanted to ask her about and her not outright rejecting the possibility of seeing him in the future was a good first step.

"Okay," he said. He tried to sound cool but instead came off somewhat nervous.

"Okay," she said, equally nervous as she tucked some hair behind her ear.

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"Yeah—no, yeah."

"Yeah, haha."

"..."

"..."

"...Bye."

"Bye."

Roxas shut the door before the air between them turned even more awkward. Still, he felt like he finally overcame some sort of barrier that had been wedged between them for the past couple of days. He wasn't sure if he was interested in her romantically but he did know he found her intriguing as a person. She was pretty, had a perfectly normal sounding voice, she was a little eccentric but he had seen far worse before. In his mind, there was nothing wrong with her. So what made her a nervous wreck before? He had to know.

As Roxas walked downstairs, he heard the sink running in the kitchen to his left. He looked over to find Kairi washing the dishes and humming a tune to herself. She actually had a nice singing voice.

"Need some help?" he offered.

Kairi turned around, beaming at him. "Nope! I just finished, but thanks. Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, I think your sister is about to take a nap. Guess the rain really wore her out."

Kairi sighed, leaning against the counter. "It's no surprise. She doesn't get nearly enough exercise. You wouldn't believe what I had to go through just to get her to go to that party. You've probably noticed but she doesn't get out often."

"I never would've guessed," Roxas quipped. They shared a brief laugh. "I guess that's why she seemed so lonely."

"Mm," Kairi murmured in agreement as she dried off her soapy hands. "I wanted her to come over to meet you guys but she did exactly what I expected and closed herself off. It's not healthy. I wish she'd just snap out of it sometimes, you know? I don't get how she can block out the world when she could be meeting new people and finding new adventures. Life is a journey and everyday is a brand new adventure. I don't want Naminé to waste her life away being afraid all the time, you know?"

To her surprise, Roxas laughed.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"It's nothing," he insisted.

It was just that he might have seen what the problem was. Kairi may have meant well but she didn't seem to treat the situation very delicately. If Naminé really did have an issue, throwing her into the middle of a party may not have been the best first step.

"If you don't mind me asking, do you know what happened to get her like this?" Roxas asked. "She was so frightened the first time we met. She couldn't even look me in the face—she didn't even speak to me. I've met shy girls before but not like this."

Kairi's usual bubbly disposition faded into something slightly more melancholic. "You'll have to forgive her. I promise she didn't mean to be rude. Naminé is just—she's been through a lot."

"Really?" Roxas asked. "Sorry if I'm being a little nosy, but—"

"No, don't worry about it," Kairi interrupted, waving it off gently. "You two seem to get along well enough. It's just... kinda heavy. I don't want to just dump everything on you—"

"No, it's fine," Roxas assured her. He took a seat at the table. "Trust me, I know heavy."

Kairi raised an eyebrow. "Why so interested?"

Roxas sighed. "To tell you the truth, I'm no stranger to loneliness. But if it weren't for my friends, I don't really know what kind of a mess I'd be today."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kairi said sympathetically. "I guess it wasn't easy being the son of someone like Cloud."

"That's an understatement," Roxas said with a light chuckle. "Naminé seemed lonely. I could tell the moment I laid my eyes on her. I just want to know why." He rubbed the back of his head. "Guess I got a thing for strays."

Kairi took in a deep breath and braced herself. She didn't like to talk about this incident very often, but she trusted Roxas enough. After all, on top of what he did the night of the party, the guy had just carried Naminé's limp body back home in the rain and he was Xion's best guy friend. He deserved to know what was going on.

"Before our mother met our dad, she used to date this guy named Noel Kreiss. Even after her and Dad got married, they were still friends and Noel would come around often enough. He was like a surrogate uncle to us. He played with us, took us places if our parents were busy and he was really sweet. He was even really supportive of Mom and Dad's marriage. What we didn't know was that Noel still had... some issues."

"Issues?" Roxas repeated.

"He was still obsessed with Mom, even after all those years. I guess he hung around our family because he thought it was the closest he could get to her. Maybe he thought it was better to be in her life as a friend than nothing at all. I think... being around Mom and seeing her happy with another man was too much for him. Deep down, I don't think he ever got over her, even though he pretended like he did. Somewhere along the line, it must've drove him crazy."

It pained Kairi to recall the memories. Roxas could kind of see where it was going. He braced himself as she continued.

"Naminé was about ten this day when Mom took her to the art museum. Nam loved going there, especially with Mom. They both were really into artsy stuff. I don't know all the details, because I wasn't there, but Noel secretly followed them. I don't know if he was drunk or something, but he was at rock bottom and lost his composure. He..." Kairi was reluctant to continue. "...He ended up shooting Mom. Right in front of Naminé."

Roxas had a feeling it would have either been murder or sexual assault, but hearing it come from her own mouth made it worse.

"We don't really know what happened to Noel. They think he flew to another world but there haven't been any reports of him ever since. I didn't even know about Mom until Naminé broke the news to me at the hospital." Kairi sighed. "Mom didn't make it, of course. I remember we both held each other when we broke down in tears. It hit Dad pretty hard, too."

With both of his fists situated on the table, Roxas kept his eyes trained on them. "I know you've probably heard this a million times... but I'm really sorry, Kairi. I wish I could say something that didn't sound so half-assed."

Kairi sat with him at the table and placed a hand over his with a smile that was sad but understanding. She knew from experience that it wasn't always easy to be on the reciprocating end of these harsh truths.

"Naminé just kinda shut down after that," Kairi continued. "She was always a little quiet but it was different after the incident. She stayed locked up in her room and focused on drawing, painting, sketching, sculpting, anything like that."

Roxas made a mental note to himself. That explained the overabundance of art in her room.

"She had a lot of nervous breakdowns so Dad ended up enrolling her into online school. I told him it wasn't a good idea, and would only make the situation worse, but he wouldn't listen. He's just too protective of her. Then Naminé ended up meeting this guy over the internet named Tidus and—well, that's more Naminé's business. The point is that Naminé has a difficult time trusting and opening up to people. So, try to be patient with her."

Roxas was at a loss for words. He knew he sensed something melancholic about Naminé the first time he laid eyes on her at the party but this exceeded his expectations in a way he wasn't comfortable with. He himself wasn't unfamiliar with that sort of grief. Kairi watched Roxas for a moment before clearing her throat and giving a slight smile.

"Don't feel bad," she reassured him. "If it makes you feel any better, Naminé is in a much better place than she was a couple years back."

Roxas nodded but didn't bother making eye contact.

Kairi sighed. "So, now you know our tragic backstory."

Roxas could tell Kairi was trying to lighten the mood. "Stick around and maybe I'll tell you mine some time."

Kairi chuckled humorlessly. "Bottom line, Naminé isn't really a people person at all. I know she can be a little difficult sometimes but try to bear with her. To be perfectly honest, I'm glad you're here."

"Why's that?" Roxas asked.

Kairi smiled. "Naminé could use a friend. I can only do so much for her as her sister. She might not say it out loud but I think she's been lonely for a while now."

"You think she'd even want me as a friend?"

"I'd say you're off to a decent start," Kairi said optimistically. "There's not many people Naminé would allow to stay in her room for more than sixty seconds at a time, let alone have a conversation with them. This is revolutionary stuff, man! If you got her to trust you enough to do that, she must like you at least a little bit."

Kairi's implication made Roxas feel a bit better. Despite his goofs, he somehow managed to get Naminé to relax around him. It was reassuring knowing he wasn't a _complete_ screw up.

"And of course," Kairi added slyly, "if you ever need a wing girl, I will gladly offer my services! Did I mention you and Naminé would make an adorable couple? Just putting it out there."

Roxas chuckled to hide his embarrassment. "Hey, let's take it one step at a time." He sighed, processing all of the information. He felt like he finally understood Naminé a bit more. More than she would probably realize. "I appreciate you sharing all of that with me, Kairi."

"I should be the one thanking you. For everything. You've helped us a lot lately. And besides, any friend of Naminé's is a friend of mine!" She winked.

Roxas laughed. Kairi seemed like the complete opposite of her sister.

"Thank you."

* * *

"Giving up already?"

Sora opened his left eye and immediately regretted it as the sunlight pierced him from above. He shielded himself with one hand while the other gripped the side of a steep mountain. A few feet above him was Riku, who stared down at his friend with a coy grin.

"Come on, Sora," Riku continued. "You're not gonna get far in the tournament like that."

"How come we couldn't just spar like we normally do?" Sora asked in a whiny tone.

"Just sparring will make you one-dimensional," Riku answered. "For peak performance, we gotta strengthen everything in our body and leave no stone unturned. This is an endurance test."

"But—I can't hold on..." Sora gripped the mountain for dear life, not wanting to look below them for even a second. Riku sighed, but maintained a smile regardless.

"Sack up! We're almost there. And I know you're no quitter."

Sora wasn't so sure about that, but if Riku believed in him, he couldn't let him down. Riku seemed to be able to scale this mountain so effortlessly. It was always like this: Riku was the quick study and Sora was forced to keep up. Not that Sora minded. It pushed him to try harder. Sora wouldn't stop until he felt they were on equal ground.

Slowly but surely, Sora found the strength to pull himself up and eventually to the edge of the top. He lost his footing and almost slipped but caught himself at the last second. When Sora looked up again, Riku was extending his hand. Sora smiled appreciatively and took Riku up on his offer and the taller boy helped tug Sora to his feet.

"As usual, I'm picking up the slack for you," Riku teased.

"Yeah, whatever," Sora said, rolling his eyes. "I'll make you eat those words in the tournament!"

Riku scoffed while setting a hand on his hip. "We'll see about that."

The two best friends sat on the terrain, overwatching the amazing view. They were on the outskirts of Destiny Islands and they could see their town in the long distance. They found the scenery peaceful and decided to have lunch up there as reward for reaching the top. Sora munched on some bread while Riku ate from a cup of ramen.

"So, you excited for the struggle tournament this year?" Riku asked.

"Sure," Sora answered enthusiastically. "It'll be fun. I just don't wanna let Aqua down. Besides... this might be my last struggle tournament. For a while."

Riku noticed Sora seemed to be staring at his food absentmindedly, a sad, but faint smile on his face.

"Sora..."

Sora snapped himself out of it. "But we can't worry about that right now. All I can focus on right now is doing the best I can for this tournament, right? Can't let myself get sent off on a sour note."

"...That's right," Riku answered reluctantly. "We promised to make the most of this summer just in case."

"And we're gonna do just that. No worries!" Sora clenched a fist and grinned determinedly. "Hey, I know! Maybe we can invite Kairi to come watch us."

"Kairi?" Riku inquired. "What makes you bring her up?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing." Sora chuckled nervously as he scratched his cheek. Riku didn't pay it any mind.

"Actually, I was thinking of asking her out myself."

"You were?" Sora furrowed his brows in concentration. "Like, ask her out? Or _ask_ her out?"

Riku shook his head and bumped him suggestively. "What are you, seven? You know what I mean. She's beautiful. But it's more than that. There's something special about her. Haven't seen someone quite like her in a long time."

"Yeah," Sora said distantly. He became unusually quiet.

Riku snapped his fingers in front of his eyes. "Earth to Sora?"

"Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. Sounds great!"

"Pull it together, man. We gotta stay sharp for the tournament."

Sora nodded. "R-Right."

Sora bulged his bottom lip. He admired Riku for his confidence and self-assurance. It was just that _he_ was hoping to ask Kairi to come and watch the struggle tournament. But if Riku, the resident heartbreaker of Estheim High, already had his sights set on her, Sora figured he already lost his chance.

"Just—don't treat her like she's just some other girl you can mess around with, okay?" Sora requested, thinking back to his first real encounter with her in the mall hallways. "Kairi—she's really cool. She doesn't deserve that, you know?"

Riku could always read Sora just with a quick study of his face. He tossed up an apple and caught it in one fluid motion and took a bite out of it.

"You like her," he declared casually.

As Riku expected, Sora's face glowed red. "Huh? N-No way!"

"You totally like her."

"That's not it! She's just my sister's best friend, that's all."

Riku laughed at Sora's transparency and ruffled his hair—a gesture Sora was not fond of. "You're such a kid."

Sora frowned. "I'm serious."

"They grow up so fast." Riku chuckled. "I didn't realize you felt that way. Look, I can totally back off if you want me to. I promise I won't talk to her, okay? Bro's honor."

"How many times do I have to tell you it's not like that?!" Sora whined.

"It's literally plain on your face."

Sora groaned. "Look, I'm not gonna waste time trying to convince you anything. But even if what you're suggesting is true, it doesn't matter. Who knows how long I'll even be able to stay at Destiny Islands? So, don't hold back because of me. I think... I think she'd like spending time with you."

Riku looked at his friend with uncertainty. "Are you sure?"

Sora gave him a smile. "Positive!"

Riku didn't buy it, but he knew there wasn't much point trying to argue. And he was very much interested in Kairi, so it was worth a shot. But he wasn't sure if it was worth breaking his little buddy's heart in the process. Then again, maybe it was just a silly little crush Sora had and it would go away after a few weeks.

"If you say so."

_**Memories of Forgiveness** _


	6. Memories of Laughter

A week went by and Roxas hadn't spoken with Naminé.

He wasn't surprised but he still found the occasional thought of their lack of communication disappointing. At first, he believed he could have been her friend. Roxas didn't doubt himself often but he didn't know where to begin with building their friendship. Did they even have a friendship? He didn't want to risk ruining whatever impression he already built up and that led him to being hesitant to take any action. There were a few times he contemplated going to visit, and it probably wouldn't have even been too far out of left field considering Kairi had been spending a lot of time with him and his friends the past week, but the last thing he wanted to do was make Naminé any more uncomfortable than he already had. He decided it would be best to leave her alone and let the pieces fall where they may.

"Scraggly!" Cid called from the counter. Roxas turned after taking a sip from a Shoyu Shoyu branded styrofoam cup. "Break time's over. Off yer lazy ass."

Roxas offered a mock salute. "Coming, chief."

It was a normal Wednesday for Roxas. He spent most of the day working at his part-time job. At one point, something from one of the TVs mounted overhead caught his attention as he was washing the dishes behind the counter.

"Cloud Strife was one of the few chosen to be one of the seven guardians of light alongside Zack Fair during his tenure as the wielder of the sacred Kingdom Key," said a narrator while pictures of Cloud and his buddies flashed on the screen. "The anniversary of the legendary soldier's death will be in a few weeks and many citizens across many worlds will be using the Guardian Festival as an opportunity to honor the man for all he did during his active years."

One of customers eating at one of the booths pointed at the television excitedly. "Yo, Roxas! Looks like they're talking about your old man up there!"

Roxas didn't seem nearly as excited. "Yup, they sure are."

"Ephemer, I just have to say what an honor it is to have you here today," said the interviewer as he sat across from a man with curly, silver hair with a twinkle in his eye.

"Thanks! It's a pleasure to be here."

"You were one of the few chosen by Zack to fight alongside him during his reign as Master as well as Cloud Strife and the other guardians. Could you tell us what they were like or what it was like working with them?"

"Aww, they were the best," Ephemer said somewhat wistfully. "The best friends a guy could have. 'Course, I could say the same for Claire, Skuld, Aqua, and Hope. I couldn't ask for a better group of allies. Sure, we knew we had a responsibility to protect the realm of light and we took it very seriously, but I'm just glad it wasn't a no fun allowed kind of trip."

"It's unfortunate that both Zack and Cloud couldn't be here with us today but it's good that their legacy will be honored in just a few weeks during the festival."

"Absolutely," Ephemer agreed. "Truth be told, ever since they passed, the festival has always been kind of an emotional time for me. I just start thinking back to all the memories we had, good and bad. It's a little embarrassing."

"No, I think it's completely understandable. What was Cloud like?"

"He could be a little standoffish at times, but he was a good dude. I remember back in the day, after he left SOLDIER, he didn't have any intention of becoming a guardian. But Zack insisted and, well, it's just kinda hard to say no to someone as infectious as Zack was, wouldn't you agree?"

They both shared a laugh.

"Your pops musta been one heck of a guy, huh Roxas?" the customer said, commanding Roxas's attention.

"Yeah," Roxas answered somewhat melancholic. "He was."

After a while, more and more customers began noticing the TV program and gushed about how great Cloud was. Roxas figured it was because he was in the room and they wanted to impress him. Eventually they started asking him questions such as what his father was like and when was the last time he saw him before he passed away.

As usual, Roxas felt more like an attraction than an employee. This wasn't anything new. Customers often recognized him because he held the last name "Strife." They told him how wonderful and admirable of a man his father was. They asked him questions like why he, someone who probably had numerous connections, worked at a job as a barista. It was considered odd that the offspring of such a respected and admirable soldier would refuse to take part in activities that honored his or her family. Roxas could have had almost any job he wanted, whether it be a strict training regiment in Keyblade training or get his foot in the door as an intern for a weapons manufacturing company. Then they would tell him that they looked forward to see him following in his father's footsteps. On occasion, he'd get interviewed by some of the top news stations, reporters, and publishers who were doing stories or documentaries on his father's life and Roxas would give the same answers to the same questions. No matter how tedious or tiresome, Roxas would smile politely and do his best to remain cordial in each scenario.

His shift ended and Roxas looked forward to seeing his friends. The moment Roxas exited Shoyu Shoyu, he shielded his eyes against the burrowing sunlight. Summers in Destiny Islands were notorious for their sweltering heat. All Roxas wanted to do was get home so he could unwind, tear off his work uniform, and relax in his boxers with a fan cooling him down before meeting up with his buddies at the Avalanche Fitness Center. Roxas was centimeters away from unlocking his car before a loud voice made him freeze in his tracks.

"Mr. Strife!"

Roxas turned his head to spot an unfamiliar man with a stocky build jogging towards him. Once the man reached Roxas, he leaned over to catch his breath.

"Uh, hey there," Roxas said, putting on a polite smile despite his confusion.

The man quickly perked up and adopted a more erect posture, as if he were in the presence of royalty. "My apologies! You are Mr. Strife, correct?" he asked in his booming voice.

Embarrassed and uncomfortable by the stranger's formality, Roxas waved him off. "That's my last name but just Roxas is fine."

"Of course," the man said as he bowed. "Sir Roxas."

"Just Roxas, please." He smiled politely.

"Forgive me, Roxas. I am a tad inept with the social etiquette among the commoners here in Destiny Islands. I am Adelbert Steiner, Captain of the royal Knights of Pluto in Alexandria."

"Alexandria?" Roxas asked incredulously. That was a few worlds away. "No way. I've always wanted to visit there. What are you doing all the way here in Destiny Islands?"

Steiner adopted a somewhat embarrassed look as he scratched his reddened cheek. "W-Well, that's actually... a bit, uh—"

"Darling?"

A woman approached the both of them with her stomach held in her hands.

"You must be Cloud's son," she said, addressing Roxas. She linked her arm with Steiner's and placed her hand on his chest affectionately. "We've heard so much about you. I am Beatrix. I used to be a general in Alexandria."

"W-We have recently been wedded," Steiner confessed, his square cheeks displaying a soft red hue.

"Congratulations! And it looks like you two were getting busy," Roxas teased.

"Precisely." Steiner nodded. "W-Wait! N-No, not that I would ever touch my wife in a manner in which she deemed inappropriate, nor did I force any shameful desires on her in any way, shape, or form—"

"Breathe easy, Love." Beatrix set her hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure the boy doesn't need a lecture on the birds and the bees."

"B-Beatrix!"

Roxas's playful smirk warmed into a genuine smile. "Take it easy, big guy. I can handle it."

Steiner cleared his throat. "Y-Yes, well. As I stated, I served Queen Garnet and King Zidane among the royal knights of Alexandria. But seeing as to how we are expecting, they bid us a honeymoon to the Islands. Of course, I protested the matter initially, but since there has been little to no danger threatening the kingdom as of late, I surmised there would be no harm in a retreat."

"Don't forget the part where I had to convince you," Beatrix added with a smirk.

Roxas maintained his smile, although he wasn't sure where the conversation was going. "How many months?"

"Three," Beatrix answered as she rubbed her growing belly.

"But you see, Sir Roxas, ultimately we have your father to thank for this excursion."

"Oh... is that right?" Roxas asked, despite the twinge poking at him in the pit of his stomach. Now he knew where the conversation was heading and he'd heard it a million times before.

"It was ten years ago during the War when your father, Sir Cloud, braved through the trenches of Alexandria when it was under attack. Beatrix and I, we fought valiantly against the fiends that threatened the safety of our kingdom but we were left stuck under a pile of rubble." Steiner winced at the memory. "We were ever so fortunate that Sir Zack Fair and his guardians happened to be patrolling. That's when your father fought the rest of the fiends away and saved us from what could have been certain death." Steiner held his wife's hands and looked upon her with fondness. "If he hadn't saved us that day, I don't believe I would be able to enjoy this wondrous experience. Of becoming betrothed to the love of my life, to know I am going to be a father, and to know and feel this brand of happiness."

"We owe your father our lives," Beatrix said.

Roxas's words failed him. No matter how many times it happened, he never got used to hearing the horror stories of the people his father helped save during his time. "Wow, that's... sorry, I don't know what to say. It's a lot to take in. I'm just really glad my father was able to help you."

"He was an admirable man," Steiner said, saluting. "And I have no doubt that, as his son, you will honor his legacy someday."

Roxas furrowed his brows but quickly caught himself and maintained his polite front. "I'll do my best, sir."

"We expect no less. In the meantime, we humbly request that you accept this gift of appreciation on your father's behalf!" Steiner bowed as he held out a sword that had been hanging from his back. "A vacation was not the only motivator in coming here. We wanted to meet you so we could give you this. The Excalibur II."

Roxas waved his hands in protest. "You're giving this to me? But I didn't do anything!"

"I insist!" Steiner declared. His boldness began to form a small crowd of onlookers. This was the last thing Roxas needed. "There is nothing that can repay the debt I owe your family but please allow me this small token of gratitude."

"Won't you need it for protecting the Queen?" Roxas asked, his eyes skimming over the pristine sheath of the blade.

"I believe it might be time to put this chapter of my life to rest. If I receive the Queen's blessing, I shall retire to ensure that I can support my family. This parting gift would make my line of work come to a proper close. Allow me this, Sir Roxas."

Roxas thought the man was being much too dramatic and he wasn't a big fan of the crowd of bystanders watching the scene with anticipation and expectation. Roxas appreciated his privacy so the people taking pictures and recording the scene with their phones was not something Roxas enjoyed. He could see the headlines now: 'The son of Cloud Strife receives a humbling token of gratitude from one of the royal knights of Alexandria.' If Roxas didn't accept Steiner's gift, he'd be embarrassing him in front of dozens of people and make himself look like a big-time jackass in the process.

Still, it was a flattering gift. It was one of the highest honors a soldier or Keyblade Master could bestow upon someone else. Despite Roxas's indifference towards political affairs and gestures, he understood declining such an offer could be seen as a high act of disrespect. Roxas carefully took the Excalibur II from Steiner's possession.

"Thank you, Steiner," Roxas said, trying his best to keep an upbeat front. "This is... amazing. I don't know what to say."

"It is quite all right," Steiner said. "Use it a reminder of what your father did for not only us but countless other lives in other worlds as well."

As if Roxas wasn't reminded about that enough as it was. "I will."

Steiner and Beatrix offered to take Roxas and his family out to dinner but Roxas politely declined, insisting that he had somewhere to be but that they would take them up on that offer at a later time before they left for Alexandria. After Steiner and Beatrix bid Roxas farewell and the small crowd dissipated, Roxas sighed heavily and placed his new sword into the backseat of his car. Roxas got into the driver seat and adjusted his rearview mirror, taking note at how out-of-place that sword looked sitting in the back of his Sedan. Roxas wanted to go home and forget about everything.

The car ride home took his mind away from his father until he had to retrieve the Excalibur II from his backseat. He already hated the pretentious name. When Roxas unlocked the front door to his home, he found his mother sitting on the sofa of the living room chatting with two unfamiliar guests: a man and a woman, the former wearing a suit and the latter wearing a lavish dress. It was a large contrast to his mother, who often opted for a much more casual attire.

"Look who it is," his mother greeted with a smile. "Hey, kiddo!"

"Hey, Mom." Roxas walked in cautiously, unsure how to act in front of the well-groomed strangers. "What's goin' on?"

"Well, young man, the Guardian festival is coming up in a few weeks," the woman answered.

"I'm aware," Roxas answered. He felt like he was being reminded of it all day.

"Since it also happens to be around the anniversary of your father's passing, Tifa is planning a dinner party in his honor."

"That's great," Roxas said. He started heading for his room.

"Hold it, Rox!" Tifa said. Roxas winced as his mother clutched the back of his shirt and spun him around when she caught up to him. He knew it couldn't have been that easy. "A moment, please?"

"Can't it wait, Mom? I'm tired."

"It'll be just a second, grumpy pants." Tifa led Roxas into their spacious kitchen, their feet clamping against the polished marble floors. "Sheesh. You are just like your father sometimes. That attitude of yours is so off-putting. How are you going to snag a girlfriend at this rate?"

Roxas shrugged. "Didn't Dad end up with you somehow?"

"Touche." Tifa noticed the sword in his possession. "Another one? Who was it this time?"

"Mom," Roxas begged. "Please."

"Okay, okay," she said, taking the hint to get to the point. "Teenagers. Anyways, I was hoping you'd come to this dinner as an honored guest. It would mean a lot to both myself and your father if you did."

Roxas rubbed the back of his head. He could already imagine all of the people coming up him telling him just how great his father was and how they expected equally great things from himself. "That sounds awesome and all, Mom, but I was kinda hoping to just spend the day exploring the festival with my friends."

"You can still do all that! The dinner is the day before." Tifa gasped. "Hey, I know! Why don't you invite your friends? I'm sure they'd love to come."

Sora and Axel at a fancy dinner party? "I'm not so sure about that."

Tifa leaned against the island counter. "Roxas, please. I ask very little of you but just this once, on one day of the year, I'd like to spend the Guardian Festival with all of us. As a family. Just like we used to."

"Mom, I really don't think that's my scene..."

"Please?" Tifa begged with her puppy dog eyes. "For me?"

Roxas was always indifferent towards social gatherings but as of late he had even less patience for them. But how could he say no to someone who had done so much for him? "Okay, Mom. I'll go."

Tifa smiled in relief and gave her son a hug. "Thank you so much, Roxas. I promise I'll make it up to you."

Roxas smiled. "Don't mention it."

Tifa pulled back from the embrace. "Now, if you're going to invite Lea, I suggest you keep a leash on him. This will be a _professional_ dinner."

Roxas chuckled. "I'll do my best."

Tifa kissed him on the cheek before returning to the man and woman to work on the specifics of the dinner party. Roxas dragged himself upstairs to his room. He examined Excalibur II, unsure of where to put it. He figured he would chuck it inside his spacious closet and leave it at that.

As Roxas opened his closet door, he found something he hadn't seen in a while: Fenrir—the manufactured Keyblade that belonged to his father. Roxas stuffed the Excalibur II inside his closet and took Fenrir out for himself. He examined the blade; it had a long, grey sheath, dusty from the years of inactivity, with jagged edges and deep indentations along the surface. Bandages wrapped around the base of the blade and its red handle was adorned with a keychain resembling one of his father's old pendants. It was passed down to him after his father's death.

His hand trailed down the rugged blade. Most Keyblades were crafted by the top weapons and items crafters in the galaxy, Moogle Industries. They were the ones that synthesized Fenrir. It was designed specifically for his father when he was offered a spot to be one of the seven guardians of light.

However, there was one Keyblade that wasn't artificially synthesized by Moogle hands. The Kingdom Key. Its origins were told in legends, myths, and fairy tales but no one knew for certain how it came into existence. Yet everyone agreed the one chosen to wield the blade was destined for great things as proven by history time and time again. While artificial Keyblades were passed down from Masters to apprentices, the Kingdom Key seemed to be sentient and chose one wielder per generation to maintain balance in the galaxy for the rest of his or her life. That person was said to possess inner qualities needed of a leader: strength, bravery, courageousness, and wisdom.

Roxas sighed, wondering who the Kingdom Key was passed down to after Zack died alongside his father. At this rate, he was just glad it wasn't himself.

* * *

Sora jerked himself from the edges of sleep and did his best to keep his droopy, sluggish eyes attentive.

Master Aqua paced back and forth in the front of the classroom reading from the Book of Prophecies. "With the role of being the bearer of the Kingdom Key comes an immense responsibility," she said, continuing to read while oblivious to the state of Sora's dreary consciousness. "There is one per generation and their duty is to protect the realm in which we live, the realm of light, guard its borders, and maintain the balance of light and darkness at an equilibrium. As such, the key bearer—"

She then noticed the boy who had fallen asleep during her lecture. Sora sat in the front desk with his eyes closed, head tilted slightly to the right. His soft snoring filled the momentary silence. He was hard to miss considering he was the only other person in the room with her. She cleared her throat, hoping it would knock him out of his slumber, but Sora continued to remain blissfully unaware of his surroundings. The lack of a response on his end made her sigh. She liked Sora a lot. On most days, he was a good, attentive student who tried his best to grasp the importance of the immeasurable weight of his responsibility, even if he wasn't always quick on the uptake. Then there were days such as this. Sometimes she wondered if the Keyblade hadn't made a mistake this time. He didn't seem to fit the profile but, then again, they also said the same thing about Zack.

Aqua approached the snoring boy and tapped her foot impatiently. "Sora?"

Sora remained knocked out cold. Aqua pulled up a chair from one of the nearby desks and sat across from him. She leaned her chin against the palm of her hand while grinning at her student.

"What am I going to do with you?" she said to no one in particular. Using her index finger, she conjured a tiny stream of watera magic and steered it into Sora's ear.

"AGH, THE DARKNESS!" Sora screamed as his dreams were cut short by a tidal wave.

He calmed down when he saw his Master sitting across from him. Her polished fingernails clicked against the wooden surface of his desk with a smirk that was both playful and scary at the same time. He knew he was in for a mouthful.

Sora rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "Uh, for the record I wasn't asleep just now."

"Oh?" Aqua said, completely unconvinced.

"Yeah, I was just... in intense thought. About... doors? And keyholes?" When Aqua's glare didn't waver, Sora knew it was better to just come clean. "Okay, I tried."

Aqua crossed her arms. "Sora, what's been going on with you lately? Ditching class when you're supposed to be reviewing? Overdue homework? And now falling asleep during an important lecture? This all seems so unlike you."

"I'll say. It's not everyday I get a magical wet willie," he chuckled while using his pinky finger to fish out the wetness in his ear. Her unamused expression made him aware of the mood. "Sorry. It's just... I know all of this stuff already. Everyone does. Do I really need to go through this again?"

"You promised me you would stay for the whole lecture this time."

Sora slumped in his chair. "It just stinks that everybody else gets to enjoy their summer vacation while I have to stay inside just 'cause some weird, stupid key chose me. I don't get it. There's tons of people who use Keyblades in the militia."

"Yes, but only one per generation gets chosen by the Kingdom Key. That's much different than your average Keyblade wielder. You know how much of an honor that is."

Sora stared at the ceiling with tired eyes. He heard the banality before. "Yeah..."

Aqua placed a sympathetic hand over his. "I understand it's difficult. Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't have to deal with this at your age. Most chosen aren't contacted for intense regimentation until they're at least eighteen. If it were up to me, you'd be spending everyday enjoying your summer break, having a normal life, and making memories with your friends like you should be. I've done my best to get you as much leeway as possible without the higher ups breathing down my neck. And I think we've done a good job keeping your identity as our new Keyblade master a secret from the public. We did that to give you the best shot at having as normal of a life as you can for as long as we can manage, and I think we've done a pretty good job with that."

Sora reluctantly gave her his attention.

"But—" Aqua continued, "—the Foretellers think there might be something dangerous on the horizon and they want to be prepared. I know it isn't ideal, but if you were chosen, then it's just the way it is. If something unforeseen threatens the balance, the worlds will be counting on you to keep them safe and we need to make sure you're ready."

Movement caught his eye and Sora watched a flock of seagulls pass by the window. They seemed so free. He summoned his supposed legendary Keyblade, simple but effective in its design, and set it in his lap.

"But why me?" he asked softly. "I don't think I'm cut out to... y'know, save the world or anything. I never asked for this."

"No one ever does. Yet for whatever reason, the key deemed you worthy as the successor to Zack. There are a lot of people who envy you."

"Tell me about it. Leon probably hates me," Sora mumbled.

"Squall is just... difficult, sometimes. But I'm sure he wants the best for you as well."

"Trust me, if I could give him the Keyblade I would. I just want to live a normal life like a normal person. Now you're asking me to put my life on the line in the case of an emergency when I don't even think I'm the heroic type in the first place..."

Aqua shook her head. "The Keyblade saw something in you for a reason that says otherwise," she explained calmly. "I know it's difficult to understand now, and most in your position would probably feel the same way, but don't put so much pressure on yourself. We're not expecting you to be a hero right now. My job is to steer you in the right direction. This is just a means of precaution. We want to be sure you're ready for when you'll have to step up and take initiative."

"And what if I had to take initiative right now?"

Aqua heard the slight tint of fear laced in his voice. It was a difficult question and she wasn't sure how to give him a satisfactory answer. "We'll cross that bridge if we have to."

As Aqua expected, her answer didn't make Sora feel much better. He knew her words were a sugar-coated way of telling him he would be forced into action, even at his current age of sixteen, if the situation deemed it necessary. It wouldn't matter he was still in high school. It wouldn't matter his friends and loved ones would be worried sick about him. It wouldn't matter he would have to leave his entire life behind to pursue a venture he never wanted in the first place. It was a terrifying thought.

Aqua didn't need to hear his thoughts to know what he was thinking. "Don't worry, Sora. You're not alone in this. We'll do it together."

Sora offered a half-hearted smile along with a half-hearted response. "Yeah, I know."

Sora felt his phone buzz. He fished it out of his pocket and a message from his best friend appeared on the screen.

**Riku: Hey loser, meet up at Avalanche when you're out of class. We're sparring today. Make sure you keep count of all the L's I'm about to hand over to you ;)**

"Didn't we make an agreement that phones were to be turned off during class?" Aqua asked.

Sora smiled sheepishly and hid the phone behind his back. "Oops. I forgot."

Aqua sighed and checked her watch. "Looks like we're running out of time, anyway. I guess we can pick this up during the weekend."

Sora gathered his books and stuffed them into his backpack. "I promise I won't fall asleep next time!"

"We'll see about that."

Sora looked at her incredulously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Aqua grinned. "Go find your friends, Sora."

Sora returned the smile. "Thanks."

* * *

Young Naminé woke up screaming in the middle of the night.

At the time, at the tender age of five-years-years old, she woke from a terrifying hallucination of a three-eyed monster with sharp teeth and one long, narrowed eyebrow that made a jagged crinkle when its mood was foul. It took her friends and family away from her and locked the defenseless girl in a cage, convincing her she was safe with him and only him as he licked his lips. In that moment, Naminé realized she was all alone.

It didn't take long before her parents entered her room. Her mother's face was marred with concern. Naminé normally shared a room with her twin sister but, at the time, Kairi had gone camping with her fellow girl scouts. It left Naminé by herself and she typically had nightmares when Kairi wasn't around.

"Sweetheart, are you okay?" her mother asked.

"T-T-The monster—he was gonna eat me, a-and—"

"Shhh," Serah hushed in a soothing tone.

She sat on her daughter's bed and wiped Naminé's tears away. She and her husband were relieved their daughter's distress was only a dream and nothing out of the ordinary. Serah gave Snow a look of assurance. He nodded in understanding and returned to their bedroom. His wife was always better at handling those sort of things.

Serah held Naminé in a warm and secure embrace. "Everything is going to be okay."

"I t-thought it was real... it was scary and... I was all alone... I don't wanna be alone..."

"Well, that's a silly thought. You're not alone at all," Serah promised, kissing her daughter on the forehead. "I'm here, aren't I?"

Naminé sniffled. She felt safe in her arms. No one else's hugs compared to her mother's. "Will you... always be here?"

Serah gave Naminé a smile laced with a soft melancholy. The easy way out would be to say she'd always be there and she'd never let her daughter go, but Serah liked being honest with her children. "Well, I can't promise I'll always be here in a physical sense. Someday, whether it be soon or far, I will have to go." Serah's smile went from melancholic to hopeful. "But I can promise I won't ever be gone for good. As long as we love each other, I will always be here." Serah placed a finger where Naminé's heart would be. "That, I promise you."

The answer left Naminé unsatisfied. It only made her clutch onto her mother tighter as her tears overflowed. "I don't want you to go! No! No! No!"

Serah didn't protest her temper tantrum. Instead, she allowed her daughter to let her emotions out. She remained silent as they embraced each other in the darkness that that filled every corner of Naminé's room in middle of the night, the only thing audible being her daughter's sobs and sniffles. Perhaps a proper explanation wasn't fit for the situation. Serah could surmise that Naminé would not be able to understand at her age. Instead, she opted to sing. Her soft voice trembled slightly as she filled the silence with a melody that calmed the young Naminé down, even if she didn't comprehend the meaning.

" _When I was just a little girl  
I asked my mother: what will I be?_  
_Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?_  
Here's what she said to me:

 _Que será, será_  
Whatever will be, will be  
The future's not ours to see  
Que será, será  
What will be, will be."

Naminé hated that song.

It reminded her of how powerless she felt. How no matter what life threw at her, whatever destiny it beheld, there was nothing she could do to direct its course by her own merits. She was forced to swallow the merciless and unforgiving nature of whatever the unspoken prophecy dictated. That uncertainty of the future played a big part in her anxious feelings. She could not control the future. It made her feel like the best way to avoid that feeling of uncertainty was to avoid the world entirely. She didn't have to worry about the unforeseen and unpredictability of the future so long as she kept herself in the safe security of her room where she could be surrounded by her art. Her own imagination. Her own world.

But despite hating the lyrics, Naminé still loved when her mother would sing it. She would always sing it whenever Naminé came crying to her and it would always calm her down. Sereh's voice was gentle, complimenting the pretty nature of the song on its own. She just preferred it when she had no idea what the lyrics meant. She hadn't heard it since her mother passed away and she didn't plan to. It would pop up in her head from time to time. When it did, she was overcome with anger and sadness.

Naminé sighed as the ancient memory of her mother singing to her passed. She attempted to focus on the present, which consisted of her sitting at the dining room table eating a bowl of cereal. Her father had left for work not too long before. On the TV above, an old black and white film was playing and one of the lead actresses sang the very same song as her fingers glided over the keys of a piano. Naminé scrunched her face at the program that triggered her unwanted memory and was quick to change the channel.

Kairi slid into the room as she hummed a tune, light and carefree as she always was. Naminé noticed she was dressed in a pink halter top, denim shorts, and some sandals. Kairi retrieved a glass from the cabinet and some orange juice from the fridge.

"Someone sure looks chipper this morning," Naminé observed. She seriously didn't know where her sister's boundless optimism came from but Naminé wished she could snag some for herself. "And you're all dressed up. Are you going somewhere?"

"Yup," Kairi chirped. "Meeting up with Xion and the others at that fitness center across from the mall. You're welcome to join us, by the way!"

Naminé frowned. She felt like she was answering the same question over and over with Kairi. "No thanks."

"Figures." Kairi huffed and placed her hands on her waist. "Would you cut loose a bit and have some fun for once?"

Naminé sighed. "Have we learned nothing from the party, Kairi?"

Kairi furrowed her brows after recollecting the audacity of what Selphie did to her sister. "Yeah, okay. In my defense, that was a freak coincidence and I had no way of predicting it." While flimsy, it was the justification she came up with to convince both Naminé and herself.

"But you knew Tidus lived in Destiny Islands," Naminé countered.

"H-Hey now, let's not get caught up in the details." Kairi chuckled humorlessly. "Besides, look what came out of it! You ended up making a friend. Who is a cute guy, might I add? Although, I do think Sora is just a _teeny_ bit cuter."

"Who?"

Kairi sighed. "And this is exactly why I need to introduce you to my friends."

"Not interested."

"Ugh."

"Also, friend? Roxas?" Naminé almost wanted to laugh. "Don't be ridiculous. I hardly know him."

"You let him stay in your room for a whole twenty minutes and had a conversation with him. There's not too many people you allow to do that other than me and I obviously don't count. For you, that's pretty major."

Naminé scoffed. "I did it out of courtesy. Was I supposed to kick him out after he carried me back home in the rain? You'd think he'd call an ambulance." She stood and placed her now empty bowl into the sink, rinsing out the residual milk.

Kairi's smile turned smug as she drank from her glass as if she were the intellectual superior in this discussion. "I dunno, Nam. I think there's something you're not letting on."

Naminé didn't hate Roxas and somewhere deep inside, she admitted it wasn't so bad having a talk, albeit brief, with someone other than Kairi or their father or some random person on an internet forum. But to stretch the situation any further than that was utterly ridiculous. The simple truth was that Naminé didn't feel like going back and forth with her sister and there was the possibility Kairi would twist Naminé's words and use them against her. The blonde wouldn't bite the bait.

"Believe what you want." Naminé finished drying her empty bowl and began fixing herself a hot cup of green tea.

"Did I mention that he's going to be with us today?"

Kairi spoke as if she were speaking the magic words while Naminé remained indifferent. "Is that supposed to sway me or something?"

"Don't you like him at least a little bit?"

"Kairi, I've talked with him _one_ time." Naminé chuckled. "Like is... a strong word. I can say I very much tolerate him."

"Geez. A little harsh, don't you think? I don't mean in a romantic sense. Just a friendly kind of like."

"It's not like I hate him. He can be very sweet when he wants to be. I'm grateful to him," Naminé admitted. Kairi's smile grew in smugness and Naminé was quick to clarify. "But it honestly doesn't go any further than that. He's just a nice guy."

Kairi huffed her bangs, frustrated at her sister's stubbornness. "Fine. But you don't deny that he's cute, right?"

Naminé was hoping Kairi wouldn't bring that up again. She cleared her throat. "I don't know what you're trying to imply but, if you must know, he's passable."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Just passable, Naminé?"

"Yep." Naminé placed a cup of water with a tea bag hanging from it into the microwave and faced her sister. "Just passable."

They both stared at each other, allowing the silence to overtake their discussion. Naminé deadpanned while Kairi returned the stare as if she were bored and expectant for an elaboration on Naminé's behalf. After a few moments, Naminé began to grow annoyed. It was like her sister was probing her even though neither of them were saying a thing. She realized Kairi wouldn't stop giving her that look until Naminé gave a satisfactory response. Or, at the very least, tell her what she wanted to hear. Naminé groaned and threw up her hands.

"Fine! He's kind of cute. Big whoop. So is the other eighty percent of Destiny Islands. That doesn't mean I _like_ him. Are you happy now?"

Kairi giggled. "I'll accept that for now." Naminé rolled her eyes as she retrieved her tea and began blowing on it to cool it down. "I still say you should come, if only because staying cooped in the house all day isn't healthy, but I can't say I blame you either." Kairi bit her lip. Kairi acknowledged that she never properly apologized to Naminé for dragging her to that party and the blame of what transpired weighed heavy on her shoulders. She debated whether it was an appropriate time to get what was bothering her off her chest but she decided to put her pride aside. "I guess I should say I'm sorry."

"Hm?" Naminé tilted her head at the sudden shift in her demeanor. "Where did that come from?"

"The party," Kairi explained. "That was all my fault. If I never dragged you there, what Selphie did... that never would've happened in the first place. I've been wanting to say something about that for a while but I just couldn't find the right time or the right words. So, if you say you don't wanna hang out with us, I get it. And if there's anything I can do to make it up to you, I'm totally down. I swear."

Naminé smiled at her sister. It wasn't often that Kairi admitted her mistakes. If she was apologizing, she must have truly meant it. "Please don't worry about it," she assured her. "I mean, sure, I still think you're kind of annoying." Naminé began counting off on her fingers. "Not to mention stubborn, much too intrusive for your own good, somewhat insensitive, irritatingly optimistic, bossy—"

"Just skip to the inevitable 'but' please," Kairi deadpanned.

"—buuuut, what happened was out of your hands. And mine, for that matter. So, don't beat yourself up. That's not very Kairi-like of you."

Kairi felt a little bit of relief. "You mean it?"

"Well, it was definitely a humiliating experience," Naminé clarified, "but how could I blame you for that? What happened at the party didn't align with your intentions. It was just—Villiers luck."

Kairi returned a sad smile. "Yeah, I guess so."

"However," Naminé chimed, "since you'll be out, you _can_ walk down to the store and pick me up some mint chocolate chip ice cream since I was never able to actually get any last time. Sugar gets the creative juices flowing!"

"Right now? But I was going to—"

"And if there's anything I can do to make it up to you," Naminé repeated Kairi's earlier words in an obnoxious, nasal, and high-pitched voice. "I'm totally down. I swear."

"I do _not_ talk like that," Kairi protested. She groaned, begrudgingly marching towards the front door. "Whatever. If it makes us even, I'll get your stupid ice cream."

"Two tubs, please," Naminé requested sweetly. When Kairi stuck her tongue out at her, Naminé waved. "Love you, sis!"

* * *

Roxas stretched his arms above his head and let out a relaxed sigh. He sat on one of the few benches at the Avalanche combat center watching Sora and Riku duke it out with their struggle bats. Xion sat beside him with her legs sprawled over his thighs as she munched out of a bag of gumdrops. They took up a bit too much space for two people but their section of the gym was sparse with other onlookers and there were plenty of other benches that weren't occupied. Normally, Roxas would have been training along with Sora and Riku but he hadn't been in the mood. All he wanted to do was kick back, relax, and be as stress-free as possible.

Xion loved little moments like these. While she found the fangirls who came to watch Riku irritating, having Roxas around made it much easier. She liked how she and Roxas were so close she could plop down next to him and prop her legs over his like a reclining chair and without questions or protests. Judging by their proximity, outsiders might have thought they were a couple; an assumption Xion did not mind in the slightest.

"Okay, my turn," Xion continued. "Fuck, marry, kill... Lea, Sora, or Riku."

Roxas took a moment to think it over before answering. "That's tough one. I'd say marry Riku, and... have a threesome with Sora and Lea."

"Ehhh! Answer denied!" Xion pointed an accusing finger at him. "You're not getting out of it that easy. You know the rules. It's fuck, marry, and _kill._ "

Roxas groaned. "You're really gonna make me kill one of them? How are you going to make me choose one of our friends?"

"Because that's what makes it interesting. It's easy when it's people you're impersonal with like celebrities or acquaintances you barely talk to at school. This is just to spice things up a bit. Besides, it's just a game so who cares?"

Roxas sighed begrudgingly, figuring she wouldn't stop probing him for an answer. "Fine. If I had to choose, I'd say marry Riku, fuck Lea, and kill Sora."

Xion gasped dramatically. "Scandalous! Do explain."

"Well, Riku is clearly the most responsible of the three so if I had to choose anyone to spend the rest of my life with, and be confident that neither of us would burn the house to the ground, it'd be him. Axel is my best friend so I can't kill him. Sora is my buddy too, and I didn't want to do it, but he just got the short end of the stick on that one."

"Ooooh, I'm telling Sora you hate him and Lea that you'd totally marry Riku over him!"

"But you made me do it."

"Hey, don't put that on me! _I_ didn't choose for you."

Roxas blanched. He knew that if she ever did tell any of them, they wouldn't let him live it down. "That's definitely not a conversation I would like to have with either of them. In all seriousness, Sora knows I got his back and besides, I said I'd fuck Lea in that scenario."

"Are you hinting at something, Roxas? In need of a wing girl?" She nudged him with her elbow.

"See, _this_ is why us dudes don't like entertaining these kinds of questions about other dudes to you people."

"What?" Xion shrugged innocently. "You're the one who said you'd totally be down for a spicy night in a motel with Lea—"

"You're _completely_ exaggerating the context here."

"—and all I'm saying is that I'm down to see it. It's okay if you've been having these hidden feelings, Roxas. Break down that closet door. Nothing to be ashamed of!"

"You'd be down to see me bang Lea? Knowing our history, that's a side of you I didn't need to know about and it makes me insanely uncomfortable."

"Hey, it could be hot," Xion teased. "'Roxas looks into Lea's sultry eyes, embellished with lust, as Roxas takes Lea's hands into his own. Are you ready for this, Roxas asks. I'm all yours, destroy me, Lea demanded. And with that Roxas thrusted himself further—'"

"Stop! Please!" Roxas covered his ears, making Xion laugh harder. He was getting imagery of him and his best friend he most certainly did not need in his head. "Now I know how you spend your Friday nights. I bet you write erotic stories about all your guy friends hooking up, don't you?"

"Why? You wanna read em?" she asked nonchalantly, making Roxas gag. "Oh, relax, will you? And here I thought you were actually confident enough in your own sexuality to not be bothered by silly little things like that."

"I was until I started imagining me and Lea... you know what? I'm just going to stop talking about this." Roxas was flustered by the way Xion laughed at him relentlessly. "For the record, I only said that to keep him alive. Doesn't that count for something?"

"Mmm, I dunno," Xion teased in a singsong voice. "The fact that you'd rather spend the rest of your life with Riku over one of your so-called best friends is definitely some kind of soap opera drama I'd love to witness."

Roxas smirked and shook his head. "Fine, my turn then. Me, Riku, and Axel. And you're lucky I don't add your brother into the mix just to make it weird."

"Hmmm." Xion thought it over. She knew they were joking around and that none of their answers meant anything but she didn't want to reveal too much about her own hidden feelings. "That's a hard one, Roxas."

"Why, thank you. The ladies say that to me quite often." Roxas then feigned surprise. "Oh, you meant the question!"

Xion rolled her eyes and slapped him on the shoulder. "I can't believe you just said that. That sounds like some stupid joke Lea would make. What is it about guys and their weird obsession with their size, anyway?"

"You wouldn't understand, Xi. It defines the strength of our alpha male pheromones. The bigger the size, the stronger the pheromones. It's science, really."

"Alpha male pheromones? Then does that mean you're a beta?" Roxas's jaw dropped at the jab. His reaction made Xion laugh. "Kidding! I've barely even gotten a good look at it."

"Oh, I'm sure you'd love to, though. You know, as research for your Roxas and Lea erotica and all."

"Please don't flatter yourself." She grinned mischievously. "Besides, I only do Riku smut."

Despite Roxas rolling his eyes, he couldn't fight the curls of the corners of his lips. "Would you just answer the question?"

Xion ruminated over her choices. It didn't take her long to choose her answer but she was hesitant to say it. "I think... I'd fuck Riku, marry you, and kill Lea." A moment of silence passed and Xion's face rose in temperature. Did she really just admit that out loud? She worried over how her answer would be received until Roxas threw his head back with laughter.

"You'd kill Lea over Riku?!"

"Shhhh! Will you shut up? Riku is literally fifteen feet away!"

"I can't believe that." Roxas shook his head. "And you think I'm the cruel one? At least I kept Lea alive!"

"Oh, hush." Xion rolled her eyes. "I don't know why I bother playing this dumb game with you. Maybe we should go back to picking celebrities instead of our friends because obviously someone can't handle my answers."

"You're one to talk. This was your idea, not mine," Roxas said with a shrug. "Also, you know you're not getting out of explaining your answer, right?"

Xion sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I love Lea. He's like an extra older brother." As if she didn't have enough of those already but she decided to keep that thought to herself. "But there is no way in hell I am passing up an opportunity to tap Riku. That's just not going to happen."

"Riku isn't _that_ hot."

"I wouldn't expect a heterosexual male to think so. But trust me, he is that hot and then some," Xion said, plopping a gumdrop into her mouth while she shamelessly studied Riku clashing with her brother. The fact Riku was shirtless and had his noticeable six pack on display for the whole world to admire helped affirm her answer.

Roxas gagged. "I feel dirty just looking at you right now."

She gave Roxas a smirk. "Don't tell me someone's jealous?"

"Hardly," Roxas said almost a little too soon in her opinion. "Just surprised. I didn't think Riku was so hot that you'd give Lea the short end of the stick for him."

"Hey, sacrifices must be made for the greater good. It's not a decision I'm proud of, but it simply must be done," Xion said with a nod.

"The greater good. Right." Roxas chuckled. "And you chose to marry me, huh?" He gave her a sly grin and she cowered behind her bag of gumdrops. She was hoping he didn't bring that up.

"Y-Yeah, what of it?" she spat. "Ugh. I knew you were going to let that go to your head. You're so annoying."

"No, I'm just curious why you picked me over Lea. Or Riku, for that matter, since he's just _so_ hot, after all."

"You brought up a good point about Lea not being the most responsible guy around." And that was an understatement, she thought to herself. "Like I said, love him to death, but I don't think I'd be able to trust him in marriage. And I'm sorry, but Riku is just hotter than him so it's a no brainer."

"You're so shallow," Roxas quipped.

"Roxas, we're playing fuck, marry, kill. Does it really get any more shallow than that?"

"Fair enough. So, how come I'm getting married over Riku?"

Xion became red in the face. Whether he realized it or not, he was treading dangerous territory. She wondered if he was doing it on purpose. "Well, why not? You're my best friend. If I had to choose anybody to spend the rest of my life with out of our group, excluding my brother because, let's face it, I'm stuck with him regardless... I'd pick you in a heartbeat." She cleared her throat. "But don't get the wrong idea! This is still a purely hypothetical situation."

"Awww," Roxas cooed. "I think that's the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"And it will be the last if you don't keep your big mouth shut," Xion threatened.

"Still, you're passing up a lifetime of eternal happiness with _thee_ Riku Miyano, resident Destiny Islands heart throb?"

"And deal with all of his incessant fangirls? No thank you," Xion answered with a gag, eyeing a few of the girls watching Riku with hearts embezzled into their pupils. They were a regular at Avalanche whenever Riku came to practice. They would come flocking to spectate while pretending they were minding their own business. Their side conversations added with flirtatious glances and giggles made their true intentions obvious. "He can be annoying sometimes, too. But a one night stand? That, I can work with."

"I thought I was annoying."

"You _are_ annoying."

"Then how come I'm getting married over Riku?"

"Because, as hot as he is, I don't have any feelings for Riku, so—" She paused once she realized what she was saying. "Wait, no—"

"You don't have any feelings for him?" Roxas inquired.

"That's not what I—"

"Are you saying you _do_ have feelings for me?"

"W-What? Don't be ridiculous!" she denied.

"But you just said I'm annoying."

"You are! Especially right now."

"But so is Riku, right? What's the difference?"

Xion buried her face into her hands. She wished she would have just lied and told Roxas she would kill him instead. "Please stop talking."

"So, who's hotter? Me or Riku?"

"Can we just... _not_ do this?"

"You think Riku's hotter, don't you?"

"LA LA LA LA LA LA LA!"

"So, if we're both annoying and I'm less hot than Riku, but you would still choose me over Riku in marriage, what are the exact Xion logistics that determine which one is more suited for her than the other? These are the questions the world needs to know."

"...I hate you," she proclaimed.

"You hate me? That's not a very nice thing to say to your husband." Roxas took her hand and began kissing it dramatically. She snatched her hand away and bonked him hard on the head, causing him to yelp. She didn't know why she liked the idiot sometimes.

"Will you stop it?! People are gonna get the wrong idea because of you!"

"Why do you care? You married me, didn't you?" Roxas pretended to look offended while he rubbed the sensitive spot on his head. "Oh, I get it. Been cheating on me with Riku, haven't you?"

Xion groaned in agony. She was being tortured at this point. "Why are you doing this?"

Roxas put the facade aside and laughed. "Let's just say it's my payback for earlier."

Xion huffed and crossed her arms. "Okay, you've had your laugh. Time for my payback to your payback."

Roxas relaxed back into his seat. "I'm all ears."

She narrowed her eyes into slits. He looked so confident as if she couldn't possibly come up with a group that would prove difficult or humiliating on his end. They both knew if he had to choose between herself, Kairi, and Elrena, his answer would be entirely too easy. There was no way he would choose to marry or sleep with the latter of that collective if he didn't have to. But Xion had a trump card in mind. She hadn't forgotten about the party from the week before.

"Naminé, me, or Kairi."

That one caught Roxas off guard. He looked at the ceiling as he formulated his answer. Xion wasn't sure if she wanted to know. Sure, it was just a silly game but Xion couldn't help but feel their answers revealed small truths about how they felt about each other. Of course, she would never kill any of her friends, even if her own life depended on it. She was certain Roxas felt the same but the prospect of finding out how much Roxas valued her was both frightening and filled her with anxious anticipation.

Roxas ran a hand through his hair. "Man, that's tough. Probably the toughest one you've given me all day. But I think I'd go with—"

"What's up, guys?" The two paused to find Kairi behind them with her usual bright smile.

"Kairi, you made it," Xion said through gritted teeth. Xion wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved by Kairi's timing. Kairi seemed to have a knack for showing up right on cue. Out of fear she was about to get an answer that would ruin her remnants of self-esteem, she decided to be relieved for the time being and not probe Roxas any further on his answer.

"No Axel today?" Kairi asked, noting the absence of the rambunctious guitarist.

"I think he had business with the Melodious Nocturnes today. Maybe next time," Roxas answered.

"You two sure look cozy," Kairi observed, noticing Xion's legs kicked out over Roxas.

"Oh, didn't you know? Roxas signed a contract to be my personal footstool wherever we went."

"Hey! You promised not to tell anyone about my secret domination fetishes," Roxas joked. Kairi giggled at their banter. Roxas noticed there seemed to be no signs of Kairi's bespectacled sister arriving any time soon. "I guess Naminé was a no show, huh?"

Kairi shook her head. "Sorry. I tried but I didn't wanna press too hard. You know, after the party."

Roxas crossed his arms. "Yeah, but I hoped she'd at least want to warm up to us a little."

Xion studied Roxas curiously. He seemed more bothered by Naminé's absence than she would've thought. As far as Xion was concerned, the last time he ever spoke to Naminé was during the party. Why would he care?

Kairi smiled apologetically. "Give her time. It might be awhile before that happens." Speaking of Naminé, Kairi felt like she was forgetting something. When she realized what it was, she slapped herself on the forehead. "Shoot! I completely forgot about the ice cream."

"Ice cream?" Those seemed to be the magic words for Roxas. "That sounds pretty good right now!"

"I swear, you are going to explode from all that ice cream you eat," Xion said.

"But that'd be an epic way to go out, right?"

Kairi blinked. Then she tapped her chin. Then a light bulb flashed over her head. Then she smiled. And oh, what a mischievous, sinister smile it was.

"Hey, Rox! Mind doing me a favor, big guy?" Kairi asked as she walked over until she was facing him by the front. She wrapped her hands around Roxas' forearm to help lug him up to his feet.

"Uh, sure?"

"Would you mind grabbing two tubs of mint chocolate chip ice cream for my sister and deliver them to our house for me? Pleeease?" Kairi smiled innocently as she slapped some cash into his hand. "Feel free to buy yourself something as well. My treat!"

"Huh? Why me?" Roxas asked as Kairi led him towards the elevator. Xion watched from the bench, one eyebrow arched. Just what was Kairi up to?

"Just do me a solid, okay? I owe ya!" Kairi said.

Roxas didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure Naminé would be okay with this?"

"Sure! Why not? I just got here, you know? It'd be a pain if I had to walk all the way back home now. My feet are killing me," she lied.

Roxas narrowed his eyes. "But it's okay if I go all the way back there, right?"

"Glad we're on the same page!"

Roxas sighed. Typical Kairi. "Okay, but I don't see why—"

"Don't worry about it!" Kairi shoved him into the elevator. "Besides, I'm sure my little sister is counting the seconds until she sees you again."

Roxas rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, I doubt that."

"Don't be so modest. I told you if you two had a conversation together, she must like you at least a little bit. So, I'm entrusting you with this very important task of not making my sister super cranky. Don't forget, mint chocolate chip! Two tubs!"

"But where do I—"

"Thanks, Rox! You're the best! Too-da-loo!" Kairi waved as the elevator doors closed. Satisfied with her work, and deeming herself an evil mastermind in the process, Kairi returned to the bench and sat next to Xion.

To an outsider, it might have appeared that Kairi was too lazy to grab some ice cream for her sister. The true intention of her actions was to experiment to see if anything could blossom within the unconventional thing going on between Roxas and Naminé. Or if there was even a thing in the first place. It didn't have to be romantic either. As long as Naminé had someone to talk to, that was good enough.

"What was that all about?" Xion's asked.

"Oh, nothing," Kairi assured with a pleased smile. "I'll tell you later. What's the plan for today?"

"We're going to go to the arcade a little later since Sora hasn't shut up about it for the past week. Until then, grab some popcorn. And by popcorn, I mean these." Xion offered her bag of candy and Kairi helped herself to a handful. Xion motioned towards Sora and Riku who had been sparring the whole time.

Kairi's voice hitched in her throat. She didn't expect both of the boys to be shirtless, revealing their lean islander bodies. She didn't notice how long she was staring until Xion's input cut through her thoughts, making her jump.

"You should probably stop drooling."

"Huh? Oh, no! I totally wasn't ogling, I promise," Kairi lied.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of," Xion said. "As much as I hate to admit it, a shirtless Riku is hard to resist."

Kairi deflated slightly and let her guard down. "Oh. Yeah, sure." Nonetheless, she waved at both of them. "Hey, you guys!"

The sound of her voice made Sora lose focus on what was supposed to be his sparring partner and he craned his neck until he located Kairi in the short distance. Her appearance made him wave back with an equal amount of energy. "Hey, Kairi!"

Riku shook his head disapprovingly and swiped his opponent onto the ground and out of bounds from the mat they were sparring on in a flash. Kairi brought her hands to her mouth while Xion rolled her eyes. Sora groaned as his head recovered from the sudden whiplash.

"Stay focused," Riku said, somewhat coldly. "You can't let yourself be distracted so easily."

"I know that," Sora mumbled under his breath as he pushed himself back up to his feet.

"Would you relax, Riku?" Xion called out. "That was a low blow. You guys are just sparring but he'd obviously know better in the actual tournament."

"It's not just about the struggle tournament," Riku corrected while directing a solemn stare at Sora. "It's about protecting the things that matter. Right?"

Sora averted his eyes slightly, understanding what Riku meant. His thoughts trailed back to his conversation with Aqua earlier and he nodded. "R-Right."

"I guess that's five to one in my favor," Riku declared.

"What? No fair! That doesn't count. It's like you said, I got distracted!"

"Sounds like a reasonable way to lose to me." Riku lathered his sweaty shoulders and neck with a hand towel.

"You just got lucky. Rematch!" Sora got back into his fighting stance while sporting a toothy competitive grin. "And this time, I won't hold back."

Riku smirked. "If you insist."

"Here we go again. The dick measuring contest." Xion rolled her eyes. "You might wanna get comfy, Kairi. When they get going like this, it takes a while for them to stop."

Kairi giggled. "They're always like this, huh?"

"Pretty much," Xion answered tiredly. She had been dealing with Sora and Riku's rivalry for years at that point. It had become a predictable and draining asset of their routine. "Especially when there's a competition coming up. And since the struggle tournament is in a few weeks, this is what we'll have to deal with."

Sora and Riku began what was already their seventh round that afternoon. They seemed evenly matched, although Riku was a bit more agile on his feet while Sora was more on the offensive. He was eventually able to get the upper hand and knock Riku back with a powerful slashing move.

"Woo! Go, Sora!" Kairi cheered. Sora blushed and gave her an embarrassed smile in response as he scratched his cheek. She gave him two thumbs up. Riku studied their interaction and scoffed.

"Rooting against me, Kairi?" Riku asked. "Gotta say, I'm hurt."

"Aww, sorry. Did I sting your pride?" Kairi asked teasingly.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I plan on suing for damages," Riku affirmed, half-serious and half-playfully. "Hey, Sora. How about we make this more interesting? Winner takes Kairi out for smoothies tomorrow."

"H-Huh?" Sora was wide-eyed and took a step back.

"What?!" Kairi screamed.

"Yeah, go for it," Xion called out. "I'm sure Kairi wouldn't mind at all!"

"Don't encourage him," Kairi whined despite Xion's amusement.

"W-Wait a minute—" Sora said, stumbling through his words. But it was exactly what Riku was aiming for: another distraction. With Sora completely flustered, he was able to deliver a quick series of blows to catch Sora off-guard.

Sora got his head back in the game and was able to block and dodge a few of Riku's attempts, but ultimately, his prior focus and balance had been successfully derailed. Riku sweeped his legs which resulted in Sora falling flat on his back.

Riku looked down at him with one of his hands attached to his hip. "This is exactly what I meant by distractions, Sora. You have to keep your eyes on what's important. You're too easy to read and even easier to manipulate. Decide what you want, then focus on getting it done."

Sora propped himself onto his elbows, wincing in slight pain. The look on Riku's face seemed to be egging him to get up and keep pushing but instead it had the exact opposite effect and all Sora felt was a wave of mild demotivation. He always looked up to Riku and wanted to be more like him. He was always two steps ahead. But sometimes, Sora felt like he would never catch up to his best friend.

"You can do it, Sora!" Kairi hollered, who had become much more invested into the match ever since Riku involved herself into the matter. Without her consent, she might add, and she was not very happy about it.

Hearing Kairi cheer his name gave Sora the strength to get back to his feet and into his battle stance. Riku didn't seem intimidated by Sora's newfound resolve.

"You still don't got it," Riku teased, a cocky sneer.

"Oh yeah?" Annoyed, Sora rushed towards his opponent. Riku grinned, knowing he already won. Riku remained on the defensive, dodging and blocking Sora's attempts, waiting for the boy to tucker himself out while he reserved his own energy. When he found a mistake in Sora's footing, Riku merely ducked an incoming attack and swiped Sora across the back. Sora ended up stumbling over himself and fell out of bounds once again—it was game over. Riku had won.

"Guess that's six to one." Riku rested his struggle bat across his shoulders.

Xion looked over to find a dejected-looking Kairi. As if she had just lost a bet of her own, Kairi smushed her hand against her cheek with a pouty expression.

Riku walked over to his best friend who lain flat on his back with his arms and legs spread out. He panted as sweat drizzled down his now glistening body. Riku extended his hand. Sora grinned sheepishly and accepted Riku's offer. "Fine, you win," Sora relented. "I gotta admit, that was a pretty nice move. You gotta teach it to me sometime!" Sora rubbed the back of his head self-consciously. "I guess there's still a lot left for me to learn, huh?"

"You'll get there," Riku encouraged. He looked towards Kairi with a shrug and an innocent-looking smile, though Kairi didn't seem receptive at his attempt to break the ice. Riku slumped his shoulders in disappointment to the lackluster reaction and made his way over to her, lending a hand. Kairi didn't seem very interested in his offer but noticed a teasing smirk tugging at Xion's lips. Kairi hoped her friend wasn't getting any wrong ideas.

Kairi begrudgingly accepted his help and stood to her feet. She had to lift her neck to meet Riku's eyes. "Thanks for roping me into your little charade," she said. "I don't remember agreeing to your sudden stipulation back there."

"I didn't hear you refuse it either," Riku mentioned.

"Well, I'm refusing now."

Riku frowned as he placed his hands on his sides. "I just think you've got the wrong impression of me, but if you'd give me a chance, I think I could change that. Just one date. That's all I ask."

"I'll have you know, I'm busy tomorrow. So, that's not going to work for me."

"Friday, then."

Kairi crossed her arms and sighed. "You're not going to stop until I accept, are you?"

Riku shrugged with a grin. "Figured me out, huh? I can do this all day if you can."

"Fine. One date. Friday," Kairi said with a roll of her eyes.

"I knew you couldn't resist," Riku replied playfully.

"Hey! Don't make me take it back, mister," Kairi said as she poked Riku on his bare chest.

"Just couldn't resist any excuse to touch my chest, huh?"

Kairi recoiled her finger and held it protectively. "Already regretting this."

Riku chuckled. "I'm just joking, okay? Relax."

Off to the side, Sora watched their interaction with mixed feelings. He cleared his throat loudly and stepped in between the both of them, almost obnoxiously. "Man, I don't think I'm ready for this tournament," Sora admitted. "Riku! Gimme a rematch! Loser orders the winner pizza whenever they want for the next month!"

Riku grinned. "How much punishment are you willing to take in a day? I'm starting to think you're a masochist, Sora."

"I'll make you eat those words!"

"Ugh, you guys are at it again?" Xion groaned. "This is why I'm glad Kairi is here. It's about time I have somebody to talk to instead of just watching you morons prove the validity of your testosterone to each other."

"Then why do you insist on watching us train all the time?" Sora asked accusingly.

Xion shamelessly examined Riku's shirtless appearance and cleared her throat. "No reason."

"Does that count as sexual harassment?" Sora asked Riku jokingly.

"But is it really harassment if you consent?" Riku joked back as he flexed his physique. Kairi noticed and rolled her eyes yet again.

Eventually, Xion and Kairi were able to talk Sora and Riku out of another round and convinced them to start heading for the arcade before it got too late. But of course, it still ended up that Sora and Riku would challenge each other to a race to see who could get there first when they were halfway there.

"Idiots," Xion murmored.

* * *

Roxas was getting déjà vu.

He stared at the door, alone this time, with the bag of mint chocolate chip ice cream cutting into the fingers of one hand and a warming sea salt ice cream threatening to drip onto the other. Last time, he didn't hesitate to ring the doorbell. Now he felt a bit unwelcomed. How did Kairi rope him into this again? And what did she think she was accomplishing by having him deliver some ice cream to Naminé anyway?

Naminé did say she wasn't against having him around and Kairi seemed confident in the idea of them spending some quality time together, for some reason. Yet a part of him felt as if they were being polite out of obligation. Naminé made zero effort on keeping in touch with him since they last met, which was understandable considering he never gave her his phone number, but there also wasn't any sign she hadn't tried. How exactly did Kairi rope him into this again? And what did she think she was accomplishing by having him deliver some ice cream to Naminé anyway?

He couldn't deny this might have been the opportunity he was waiting for: an excuse to talk to her. Then why was he being such a coward all of a sudden? He needed to man up already. He was only delivering ice cream. It wasn't a big deal. With the ice cream beginning to melt, he figured he had better get this over with sooner rather than later.

Roxas rung the doorbell. He didn't have to wait long as Naminé opened the door in the matter of seconds.

"Goodness gracious, Kairi. How long does it take you to—"

Her eyes grew to the size of saucers and her entire body went rigid. Somehow, she managed to adjust her glasses. Yes, that was definitely Roxas outside her front door. Needless to say, he was the last person she expected to see.

Roxas grinned sheepishly. "Um... hey."

She blinked. "Hi."

A few moments passed before either of them spoke. For a moment, Roxas forgot why he was there in the first place until he noticed Naminé stealing a glance at the bag he was carrying.

"Oh! Uh, right. This is for you." He stretched his arm out. "Kairi wanted me to—"

"Thank you." She grabbed the bag of ice cream and slammed the door shut.

Roxas stood frozen in place for a few beats of deafening silence. "Okay, then. Good talk."

That went about as well as he expected. No, that wasn't true. It was worse and it made him feel like crap. It felt like they were back at square one again. All that ice-breaking and progress he thought he made was chucked out the window in the matter of seconds.

He felt like an idiot. Maybe it was his fault. After all, he was the one who took an entire week to visit her and the best he could come up with was "hey." No wonder she slammed the door in his face. He needed to face the facts that she wanted nothing to do with him and leave it at that.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Naminé dropped the bag of ice cream and pressed her back against one of the walls in the dining room. Her breathing came out in heavy gasps and her hands clutched at her chest. What on earth was Roxas doing there? Where was Kairi? She should have known her sister couldn't do something as simple as pick up some ice cream for her from down the street. It suddenly made sense why she waited over an hour for a job that should have taken no more than fifteen minutes.

In all honesty, she was expecting Roxas to come back at some point but not after letting a whole week pass. What took him so long? Now, all the momentum they built from their last conversation had been lost. Her head spun with questions. Should she invite him inside? But where would he stay? Should she invite him to her room? But maybe that would make her look kinda skeezy. She didn't want him getting the wrong idea. But at the same time, Roxas didn't seem like the kind of guy to take advantage of her. She could trust him, right?

Most of all, did she want him to come inside? She would have been lying if she said it weren't a bit lonely in the house with Kairi out so often and her father swamped with work. Even if she did let him, what would they talk about? They didn't seem to share any common interests but she didn't want to be rude either and she wanted to ensure that—

Wait. Did she just slam the door in his face? Was he still out there?

Naminé ran to the door and ripped it open to find Roxas turning to leave. He stopped and looked at her with wide, expectant eyes. They stood in silence until Naminé slammed the door shut again.

Roxas scratched his head. She sure was eccentric. He attempted to leave before the door opened yet again but this time the sound of the doorknob turning was accompanied by her voice.

"H-Hey, wait!"

Roxas turned around. "Y... Yeah?"

Naminé's bottom lip quivered. "Oh, uh... th-thank you for the ice cream."

He chuckled. "You said that already."

"W-Well yeah, but I kinda shut the door in your face when I did. Which I didn't mean to do! I was just—surprised, is all. It was a knee jerk reaction." She twiddled with her thumbs. "I'm sorry."

Roxas smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I get it. You were expecting Kairi. I think anyone would be thrown off."

"Oh. I see."

Naminé rubbed her arm. What was she supposed to say now? She looked at Roxas and all he did was avert his eyes and scratch the back of his ear. He seemed as lost as she was. Part of her wanted to close the door again, wait for him to go away and forget the awkward stain on her day ever happened. The other part wanted her to muster up the courage to invite him inside. But maybe she should refrain herself. He looked like he didn't want anything to do with her at the moment, which was completely understandable because Naminé herself wasn't exactly the most sociable person around and it wasn't like he would ever—

"Uh, hey?"

His voice broke her out of her thoughts and she straightened her posture. "Y-Yes?!"

"You think you might wanna... I dunno. Hang out for a bit? As an ice cream enthusiast, I have to say that ice cream tastes better with two."

Wait, he did want to hang out with her? Meaning in the scenario in which she did invite him inside, there may have been a one hundred percent success rate in which he would have not been weirded out and accepted! Well, maybe not one hundred percent. There was a thirty percent chance she would've made the offer sound weird and unnatural, making him decline her offer. Meaning if she divided seventy by thirty while calculating the difference between—

"Uh, Naminé? You in there?" Roxas asked, once again pulling her out of the trappings of her own head. "We don't have to. It was just an idea. If I'm overstepping—"

Naminé shook her head vigorously. "N-No! No! Not overstepping! It is fine! Eat cream of ice, yes? Come, you!" She walked further inside, motioning for him to follow. Once she was out of his sight, she grabbed her head in agony and gave herself multiple mental slaps in the face while telling herself to pull it together and talk to him like a normal human being.

Roxas raised a brow but still found her panicking a bit amusing. "Look, I can just stay out here on the porch if it makes you more comfortable," Roxas called from the doorway.

Naminé returned to the entry and cleared her throat, making sure she remembered how to speak properly this time. "I-It's okay! It's way too hot out here anyway. Just c-come inside. My father won't be home for a few more hours so it's fine."

Roxas hesitated before walking inside. "Okay, if you say so."

Naminé requested he sit at the dining room table. She found a bowl from the cabinet and dropped in two scoops of her beloved ice cream before tossing the rest of it into the freezer. She asked Roxas if he wanted any of hers but he declined, assuring her he was fine finishing up his sea-salt ice cream. She sat across from Roxas and began eating, keeping her eyes firmly concentrated on her icy treat.

Again, silence ensued. Naminé couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye while Roxas stole a few glances at her every once in a while. But even he was having a hard time. He was beginning to think he should have made sneaking into their house a routine. At least it gave them something to talk about.

After what felt like an eternity of awkward tension, Roxas began to get impatient with himself. He was being a wimp. It shouldn't be that difficult to strike up a conversation.

"So," he began, making Naminé immediately stiffen. Her reactions almost made Roxas feel like every little word he spoke was being screamed at the top of his lungs. "Relax. I promise I don't bite."

Naminé took a few deep breaths through her nostrils and exhaled slowly.

You can do this, you can do this, you can do this, she thought to herself.

After a few moments, she found the will to speak. "Um, sorry. It's just, uh... well..."

"I know." He nodded. "It's been a little while."

"Y-Yeah." Naminé began absentmindedly messing with her hands. "I'm sorry. I'm not good with this."

"Would you stop apologizing already?"

"S-Sorry..."

She kept her shoulders stiff and hands folded into the crease of her thighs. Roxas sighed before settling into a patient smile. "What are you not good with?"

"This," she reiterated, motioning to the space between them. "This... getting acquainted... thingy. I'm really bad at it. Or maybe I just forgot how to."

"It's not exactly a science," Roxas said. "There's no formula. But you don't have to try so hard. Just do what comes naturally, you know? Go with the flow."

"I'm not exactly a flow person." She emphasized the word flow with makeshift quotation marks. "I'm the type who needs to mentally prepare themselves before diving into a situation. Honestly, I, uh... I don't know what I do naturally. I guess that's what makes it so hard to figure out what I'm supposed to do."

"See, that's where you're wrong. You're not supposed to do anything. Do what you feel like doing or saying in the moment."

Naminé wanted to believe him but it seemed too simplistic in her eyes. Perhaps it was easy for him to say but to her, social cues weren't easy to comprehend. What she might think was natural and ordinary might be seen in a different light by the average person. Could she walk up to any random joe on the street and begin raving about her love of classical music, cartoons and comic books? Her unconditional adoration for animals and the intricacies of Five Nights at Choco's? She was no expert on social etiquette but she took a wild guess and thought probably not.

Roxas sensed her uncertainty and spoke up again. "Would it help if I said I wouldn't judge you?" He looked straight into her eyes without a trace of insincerity. "Just be yourself."

Naminé blushed, mostly because she couldn't handle direct eye contact, and found something else in the room to keep her focus on. Her index finger drew invisible squiggles and circles onto the table.

"But I don't know who I am."

"That's not true."

She sighed. "It is true. I don't know who I am, or... or how to act around people. I always feel so strange and out of place. I don't know why but I do. And I hate it."

"No one knows you better than you."

Naminé didn't say anything for a while and went back to eating her ice cream. "You said you wouldn't judge me. What if I ended being weird or awkward or embarrassing?"

"Then I'd laugh at you," he stated bluntly.

Naminé glared at him. "Gee, thanks. I feel all warm and fuzzy now."

Roxas chuckled. "They say honesty is the best policy. It's good to laugh at yourself sometimes. I laugh at my friends all the time and they laugh at me just as much. If not, more," he added slightly bitter. "But hey, no one's perfect. We've all done something embarrassing. I know I have."

"You mean like breaking into someone's home just to return a lousy pair of glasses?"

"You're not letting that one go, are you?"

"Nope!" She smiled sweetly despite the passive aggressive undertone.

"I guess I deserve as much." He studied her, noticing how much more relaxed she was compared with a few minutes prior. "If it means anything, you seem pretty comfortable right now."

She gave a small smile of appreciation at his attempt at making her feel at ease. "My, uh... rapidly thumping heartbeat might disagree with you."

"Give it time. The more you get used to it, the easier it'll get. Whether you realize it or not, I'm already learning more about you as we speak."

Naminé became flustered at the realization and tucked some hair behind her ear. "I... suppose you are. I admit, it does feel kinda nice to dump all of this on someone. I don't really have anyone to talk to about it. It's not like Kairi ever listens to me."

"I can see that," Roxas said amusedly. He finished the last drop of his sea-salt ice cream and tossed the barren stick into the nearby trash can. "So! Are we just gonna sit here all day or are you gonna give me a house tour?"

"A house tour?" she questioned. "You sure you're not just scouting for what you want to steal in the middle of the night?"

"Okay, it's getting old now." Roxas rolled his eyes. "Come on, it'll be fun."

Before she could respond, Roxas took it upon himself to start wandering around the house, examining the colorful walls and the fancy furniture. Naminé scooted out of her seat to catch up with him. "H-Hey, wait!"

Roxas didn't pay her any mind and continued examining the living room. Naminé decided to roll with it and gave him a tour. She showed him the living room, the laundry room, the guest room, their three separate bathrooms, and they even had a pool in the backyard right next to the big oak tree. Roxas was impressed with their household. While no mansion, it wasn't too far off the mark. A warm and cozy air defined its ambience and put Roxas at ease.

"This is definitely a nice pad," Roxas complimented. "It's very chick. That's the word they use for this kind of stuff, right?"

Naminé stifled a laugh. "Pretty sure it's pronounced chic."

"I knew that," Roxas clarified. "I was just testing you to see if you knew."

She grinned as she rolled her eyes. "Sure you were."

Roxas's eyes landed on a familiar door in the second floor hallway. "Hey, mind if I go inside?" he asked, even though he already had his hand on the doorknob.

Naminé's eyes went wide before throwing herself in front of the door protectively. "Y-Yes, I do mind! This is my room!"

"I'm aware."

"Why would you want to go into my room?"

"You make it sound like I haven't been in there before."

"For the record, you weren't invited those times either."

"It'll be fine. It's not like I'm gonna raid your undergarments or something," Roxas assured.

Naminé was embarrassed he would even suggest that as a possibility. "Th-That is so not the point."

Roxas raised his hands defensively. "Okay, I get it. I'm not trying to invade your privacy or anything. If you don't want me in, I get it. But in my defense, all I wanted to do was check out your art."

Naminé held her arm as she shifted her weight back and forth between her toes. "You do?"

Roxas nodded. "Sure. I feel like I didn't get a good look at them the last few times I was here."

Naminé thought it over. Somewhere deep inside, she admitted there was a small part of her that enjoyed having someone else look at her art. She found the twinkle in his eye, the smile of approval and the acceptance on his face flattering. Perhaps even validating. But it was still embarrassing. It still felt like she was baring her soul to him. It wasn't just her art. It was her world. Her imagination. It was a part of her. But Roxas seemed sincere. He seemed mesmerized by that one time he had a chance to look them over. She would be lying if she said that didn't give her a sense of satisfaction. She didn't have a chance to showcase her passion often. She figured she would let it slide this one time.

Naminé chewed her bottom lip. "I... guess it wouldn't hurt." Roxas smiled. "But only for a second, okay? Then we go right back downstairs."

"Gotcha."

After Naminé reluctantly opened the door, Roxas happily entered. Roxas noticed Mocchi in her usual spot on the window sill minding her own business. He studied the many framed sketches and paintings, her most stylish lines of calligraphy, and the mini-sculptures on her shelves. The room happened to be fairly capacious, giving Naminé plenty of room to put her best works on display. The content varied from simple backdrops of beautiful landscapes to abstract set pieces to portraits of animals and unidentifiable humans.

"This stuff is incredible," Roxas murmured. "It's insane how talented you are. You could make a career out of this if you wanted to."

"Thanks." She began mindlessly chewing on her thumbnail. "O-Okay, that's quite enough, isn't it?"

"Just a sec." Roxas looked at one framed painting in particular. Stars glittered a black backdrop with translucent green and purple exhausts sifting through the open space like a gentle smog. "This is outer space, isn't it?"

Naminé rubbed her arm. "Y-Yes. It is."

Roxas studied the piece with a twinkle in his eye, taking in all of the complex nuances that made the painting almost akin to a photograph. "It's beautiful."

Naminé appreciated the praise but couldn't help keeping her eyes trained on the carpet. "Thank you. Again."

"I've always wanted to visit outer space. Travel across the galaxy in a gummi ship. See other worlds."

Naminé looked at him curiously and tilted her head. "Do you not like Destiny Islands?"

"It's okay," Roxas said with a shrug. "This place is home but nothing would be better than getting out of here. At least for a bit."

"I don't think I'm the traveling type."

Roxas furrowed his brows. "That's a shame. How come?"

"Hotel rooms? Not my scene."

Roxas laughed. She sounded just like him. "I think traveling is inspiring. Seeing all the different people, the different cultures, and customs. Maybe you should give it a shot some day."

Naminé admitted she could have used some inspiration. She had been having artist's block for the past few weeks. But traveling around aimlessly in a gummi ship did not sound very appealing or sanitary. "I dunno. Maybe."

Roxas came across a binder labeled as "footsies" on one of her shelves. "What's this?" He opened it and found many pictures that looked as if they were done by someone no older than five. It contained roughly drawn sketches of barely distinguishable figures, finger paintings, and old poems that were the work of someone young and impressionable.

Naminé looked up to see what he was holding and initially thought nothing of it before doing a double take and rushed over to him. "O-Oh, um—I think I'd prefer if that one was off limits."

"Huh? How come?" Roxas asked. "Is this stuff you made when you were a kid? It's kinda cute."

"Th-They're not cute!" she denied, flustered. "In fact, they're all terrible and I'm not really comfortable with anyone else looking at them. So, if you'd please..." She reached for the binder but Roxas pulled away from her attempt.

"I don't see why it's a big deal. Especially if you don't mind me looking at all your good stuff."

"To be frank, Roxas, I'm not comfortable having you in my room in the first place. Looking at my framed pictures is one thing but those are very private drawings from a very long time ago."

"You used to draw nudity, didn't you?" Roxas began mindlessly flipping through the binder.

"No, I did not!" she affirmed, tapping her foot out of impatience.

"Then how come you keep them if you don't like any of them?"

"You are annoyingly nosy, you know that?" Naminé groaned. He reminded her of Kairi sometimes. "I take my art very seriously and I always end up being hard on myself every time I finish a piece. No matter how good I'm told it is, I need that to remind myself I've improved or that I've made some progress."

Roxas looked at her as if she had just grown a second head. "Seriously? But your art is amazing! I don't think you should need a reminder that you don't suck. But hey, I guess I'm not an artist so I wouldn't get it. I can't draw to save my life." Roxas laughed. "You shouldn't be embarrassed of these pictures either. They're not that bad considering how old you were."

"Roxas, give it here." Naminé held her hand out expectantly.

Roxas noticed how flustered she was getting and smirked. His eyes landed on one of the pictures. "Awww, now that is just the most adorable picture of a cow I have ever seen. Although, I could be wrong, but I don't think they have six legs."

"Roxas," Naminé warned.

"Fine, you want it? Come and get it." He held the binder above himself. Roxas wasn't too much taller than Naminé but he was tall enough that she had to stand on her tippy toes to reach for it. She wasn't fast enough and Roxas hauled the book away in the opposite direction with each of her attempts at grabbing it.

"Roxas," Naminé whined. "We're not doing this."

"Oh, I think we are." Before Naminé could retort, Roxas disappeared out of the room. Naminé ran after him.

"Roxas!"

She chased him all over the house. He slipped through her fingers numerous times and sidestepped her every time she got close, taunting her all the while. Roxas ran around the dining room table and every time Naminé tried to run across, he'd just go to the other side. He paced back and forth like the goalie on a soccer field.

"Give it back, Roxas!"

Roxas shrugged. "All you gotta do is catch me."

"You are so infuriating sometimes, you know that?"

"Oh, yeah? Then how come you've been laughing and smiling the past five minutes?"

"I've just been laughing at how you thought chic was pronounced as chick, that's all."

"Admit it, this is fun!"

Naminé looked at the window behind Roxas and pointed. "Oh, hey. Is that my dad?"

Roxas turned around and before he knew it, Naminé zipped around the table and swiped the binder out of his hands.

"Oh, whoops! My bad! Must've been the neighbors."

Roxas looked at his empty hands before watching Naminé run away with a grin. "Hey, no fair!"

It didn't take Roxas long to catch up. He caught her as she was about to rush upstairs and easily tore her away from the stairs, despite her physical protests.

"Q-Quit it!" she sputtered.

"Thought you could get away from me that easily, huh?"

Naminé scrambled so much that Roxas ended up falling on his back. He still held onto her petite form as crashed onto the floor but he still attempted to reach for the binder. Now it was Naminé's turn to taunt him as she constantly blocked and dodged all of his attempts at reaching for it.

"I just wanna see your old drawings from when you were a cutie patootie!"

"So you can make fun of me for the next hour and a half?"

"Of course! What other reason is there?"

"Sorry, this is V.I.P access only and unfortunately you haven't even gotten past the bouncer."

"Just give it!" He laughed.

"No!" She laughed back.

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

They heard the front door click and creak open. Naminé and Roxas ceased their playful bickering and craned their heads upwards to see who came in.

It was Kairi and she watched them with a blank face. No one made a move or uttered a sound. A fourth party would have suspected time froze. Kairi wasn't sure what to make of the scene. All she knew was that Roxas was flat on his back while Naminé was seemingly straddling him, each of them having a hand on Naminé's binder.

Finally, Kairi spoke. "Am I interrupting something?"

"NO!" they both shouted.

Roxas and Naminé scrambled to their feet and offered forced smiles ridden with shame. Roxas realized he had the binder in his possession and swiftly handed it to Naminé without sparing her a glance.

"We were just, uh..." Roxas started to explain. "You know, I honestly don't have a good explanation for that but whatever you're thinking is definitely not the case."

Kairi folded her arms. "Uh huh. Sure is an interesting method of delivering ice cream, though."

Both Roxas and Naminé blushed profusely. Kairi's stares were unrelenting but they knew she had the wrong idea. They contemplated offering explanations but they both decided an attempt at talking themselves out of it would only make things look worse.

Kairi opened her mouth to speak but Roxas chime in before she could say anything. "I, um, better get going."

"Y-Yeah, sounds good," Naminé agreed.

"I'll... see you guys around." Roxas grinned sheepishly and made himself scarce before Kairi could begin her interrogation.

As soon as Roxas's presence vanished, Naminé was left alone to deal with her sister. Naminé was sweating bullets under her sister's blank stare.

"What?" Naminé asked, her eyes darting all over. Kairi smirked. It was the most smug, arrogant, pompous 'I told you so' thing Naminé had ever seen. "W-What?!" Naminé repeated, frustration welling up in her tone. Kairi continued smirking as if she were victorious in a battle of wits. "Will you stop that already?!"

"Naminé, if that's you 'tolerating' Roxas, should I be afraid for what's gonna happen between you two once you start liking him?"

Naminé groaned and stomped upstairs. "That was not what it looked like at all."

"I wouldn't be opposed if you two were to give me a nephew, by the way." Naminé dropped her jaw at Kairi's implication, her face full of horror. Kairi grinned. "Just saying!"

Naminé rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you but it's not happening."

Kairi began following Naminé towards her room, her arms crossed behind her back. "Soooo, were you having fun?"

"No, I was not," Naminé said firmly.

"You sure looked like you were having fun."

"Well, I wasn't."

"I bet Roxas was having fun."

"Can you stop following me?"

"I just wanna talk!"

"Well, I don't." Naminé reached her room and was about to shut her door when Kairi stopped her.

"Do you stand by your earlier statement that Roxas isn't cute, but just passable?"

"...No comment."

"Ooooh, is that you admitting defeat?"

"It's me choosing not to answer," Naminé corrected. "No matter what I say, you'll twist it into something you want to hear. If I say he's passable, you'll say I'm being stubborn. If I say he's cute, you'll start asking me when we're getting engaged."

"True." Kairi nodded. "However, you not saying anything can be interpreted as you not wanting to admit that I was right and you were wrong."

"Goodnight, Kairi."

Naminé slammed the door shut. Kairi expected as much but she maintained her grin. Being an evil mastermind was incredibly satisfying. "Just be glad it was me who walked through the door and not Dad!"

"Yeah, you making fun of me is soooo much better," Naminé droned sarcastically.

"Fine, be that way. At least answer me this! Is Roxas still just tolerable or do you like him? At least a little bit?"

Kairi received no answer. She figured that would be the case. She decided to leave her poor sister alone and disappear into her own room down the hall so she could get herself ready for a shower.

Naminé sat on her bed and stared at her binder until Mocchi cuddled into Naminé's side, beckoning for attention and affection. Stupid Roxas. That never would've happened if he didn't feel the need to meddle so much. What was up with him anyway? Why did always feel the need to get into her business? And to have Kairi see them in a position like that? Naminé wanted to plop her face into one of her pillows and scream her lungs out. That was so embarrassing!

But then her mind lingered on Kairi's question. She said she found Roxas tolerable earlier but did she still feel the same? Naminé was positive she didn't like him in a romantic sense; there was still plenty about him she didn't know after all. Nor was she ready to trust someone in that sense again after what happened between herself and Tidus. But in terms of someone who could be a friend? That didn't seem out of the realm of possibility. The thought of making a new friend was actually pretty exciting.

Kairi's question echoed in her mind. "Is Roxas still just tolerable or do you like him? At least a little bit?"

"Maybe a little," Naminé admitted to herself. She had to admit even though he was still annoying, messing around like that, behaving like children, being so caught up in the moment that she didn't even have the time to worry or overthink about anything...

It was kinda fun.

_**Memories of Laughter** _


	7. Memories of Infatuation

Roxas loaded the last piece of a drum set into the back of a large van. He dusted off his hands before closing the double doors shut. It was another sweltering summer day in Destiny Islands. The sun beamed on him as he flapped the base of his tight-fitting black tank top against his chest hoping to air himself out.

They had been moving instruments and equipment out of Saïx's personal recording studio and into their van all morning. It was a simple job turned exhausting because of the heat. Roxas wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. Demyx sat on a reclining chair under the shade of an umbrella a few feet away with his legs kicked out over a cooler while he tuned his sitar. Axel snuck up behind Demyx and slapped him on the back of his head.

"Ow! Not cool," the languorous sitarist said, rubbing the sore spot.

With Demyx's legs no longer blocking access to the icy refreshments stuffed inside the cooler, Axel grabbed a bottle of cold water and tossed one to Roxas.

Roxas gave his best friend a smile of appreciation. "Thanks."

"I'm the one who should be thankin' you," Axel said. "I owe ya for helpin' us pack all of this shit, man. You've been a big help. Unlike some other fuckjobs around here." He eyed Demyx, but he was too preoccupied with his sitar to notice.

"Hey, anything for the Melodious Nocturnes," Roxas said before downing his water. "They're the next big thing, right?"

"Damn straight," Axel said. "This gig might be big for us. Just gotta make sure we don't screw this up. I tell ya, sometimes I feel like I'm pullin' dead weight here. If it ain't Larxene givin' me the cold shoulder, it's this lazy sack of shit holdin' us up from recordin'." He used his thumb to point back to Demyx for the latter half of his claim.

"Aww, dude," Demyx said, finally tearing his eyes away from his precious baby. "Low blow, man. I'm sitting like, right here."

"That's exactly my point!" Axel yelled. "How long have you been sittin' there?"

Demyx cowered behind his sitar. "Like... five minutes?"

"Have you done anything today other sit on your fat ass and mess with your stupid sitar?"

Demyx tapped his chin, thinking back to all the grueling work he put in that day. Or so he told himself. He beamed when he finally thought of something. "Oh! I spray painted the side of the van with black earlier like you asked!" He grinned proudly at what was surely a commendable feat.

Axel and Roxas peered over to the side of the van to find one blotch of black spray paint off to the side while the rest of the surface was a pale, eye-piercing white.

Axel pinched the bridge of his nose and Roxas bit back a laugh. "How about you be useful for a change and get that amp in the back of the van," Axel suggested as he pointed to an amp about twenty feet away. "After that, you can finish the whole damn side of the van."

Demyx looked at the amp with utter disgust and slouched in his seat. "Aw, maaaaan. But that's like... _sooooo_ far away." Axel stomped towards Demyx with a threatening look on his face and it was enough to get Demyx to scramble off his chair. "Y-You got it, boss!"

Axel sighed and gave Roxas a look of weariness. "Y'see what I gotta put up with?"

"Can't say I envy you." Roxas took a seat on the now unoccupied reclining chair. "So, Zanarkand, huh? That's kinda far, isn't it?"

Axel ran a hand through his long, red mane. "Yeah, 'specially because yours truly had to pitch in the most for our flight. But a lot of acts get discovered up there. This could be a game-changer for the Nocturnes. But don't sweat it. We'll be back in time for the festival."

"You'll be back for the dinner party too, right?"

Axel grinned, checking himself out in the reflection of one of the van's windows. "'Course! I wanna look good for that. Gotta impress Mrs. Strife somehow."

Roxas cringed. "Can you do me a favor and not lust after my mom this time?"

Axel gave him an incredulous look. "Dude, that's like asking my penis to never get erect ever again. That woman is a queen, and one day, she will be mine."

Larxene passed by while carrying a box and overheard. She kicked him in the shin and moved along without sparing him a glance. Axel sharply inhaled in his breath to prevent himself from screaming at the top of his lung in what would have surely been a girlish squeal.

"Babe, no! I was jokin'!" She ignored him.

Roxas snickered. "One of these days it's gonna be more than just a kick in the shin."

Axel stretched his ankle. "She'll be fine. Girls are just like that, man. You gotta learn how to deal," Axel said dismissively. When Larxene returned, Axel wrapped his arm around her. "Besides, she knows I'm just messin' around deep down, right, babe?"

Larxene glared at him before she gutted him in the stomach and left Axel hunched over without a trace of guilt.

"D-Don't mind her," Axel wheezed. "She's just a little antsy."

Roxas smirked. "You kinda had that one coming. You did just admit you want to bang my mom out loud so I think she was justified."

"You guys make it sound like I actually have a chance with that goddess." Axel plopped down in the open chair next to Roxas, retrieved a can of soda from the cooler, and cracked it open. "But man, the unspeakable amount of things I'd do if I did."

"Anyway," Roxas said, hoping to steer the uncomfortable state of this conversation in a different direction. "Speaking of my mom, she said you better be on your best behavior for this dinner party. It's supposed to be professional so don't expect to get wasted there."

"Have some faith in me, will ya? Geez. A guy raids a woman's underwear drawer when he was a horny little shit of a thirteen-year-old one time and then _all of a sudden_... God."

"Women. Plural," Roxas corrected.

"Gee, thanks for remindin' me." Axel took a swig of his soda. "So, you excited for the party?"

Roxas leaned back in his chair and tied his hands behind his head. "I dunno," he answered indifferently. "Not sure if I'm looking forward to an evening of endless worship of the ground my dad walked on."

"I really don't see what you got against your pops. He seemed like a cool dude to me."

"That's the thing. I don't have an issue with my dad. In fact, I look up to him. He helped so many people during his time. He saved the worlds and, even though I was little, I still remember him being an awesome dad. When he was home, he'd always spend time with me. I remember him and Mom would take me to the park and watch me skateboard. He even taught me how to fight." He paused. "The issues I have isn't with him. It's me."

"Whaddaya mean?"

Roxas sat up and looked at what was a nearly cloudless sky. "A few weeks ago, I got an offer to join SOLDIER."

Axel gave Roxas an incredulous look. "What the hell're you talkin' about?"

Roxas sighed. "I guess word got around about how my dad taught me how to use a Keyblade and, well... Shinra wants me to fly out to Midgar after I graduate for training. The only reason they gave me that position is because of who my father is and they want me to follow in his footsteps."

The two friends were silent for a brief stint. Axel needed time to process the information before he broke the silence with a question. "Are you gonna do it?"

"Not sure. From what I hear, Shinra can be persistent. It's another reason why I wanted that grant for Geppetto's school for piloting. It would've given me an excuse not to go."

"So, that's why you were such a buzzkill these past few weeks," Axel said as if he was hit with an epiphany. "Damn. I'm sorry, man." Axel wasn't sure how he felt about that. He didn't want his buddy risking his life all the time and he knew how Roxas felt about Keyblades. He gripped his soda can tight before loosening up. "Don't let them pressure you into anythin', y'hear? You don't owe 'em nothin'."

"I guess so." Roxas finished his water bottle, crushed it, and tossed it into a nearby recycling bin. "Maybe my mom could vouch for me. I don't think she wants me to go either."

"On the bright side, you'd be able to travel worlds, right? Isn't that what ya wanted?"

"Not if I have to be in some elite militia. I don't even enjoy fighting. The absolute last thing I want to do is take someone's life. Not after... you know." Painful memories resurfaced of his own father painted in blood and being sent to the hospital after the war when he was six. "When I saw my dad that day, I told myself that's not the way I'm going to live my life."

"So don't," Axel suggested nonchalantly. "I get that you feel pressured, man, but I think you're makin' this out to be bigger than it really is. If you don't wanna be in SOLDIER, then you tell those elitist shitbags to shove their Buster Swords up their asses. And if you don't, then tell 'em I will."

Roxas gave a gracious smile before standing to his feet. "I appreciate it."

"I got your back," Axel said with finality as he stood with him.

"I'm not sure if that makes me feel better or not," Roxas joked. "But can you do me a favor and keep this SOLDIER business between just us for now? I don't want to worry Xion and the others. Especially since there's a good chance I won't go anyway."

"Of course, man. My lips are sealed."

While Axel's word were comforting, it still left Roxas uncertain. Was it really as simple as Axel made it out to be? If something big went down and he was needed, would it be okay for him to sit back and do nothing? As much as Roxas hated the idea of becoming a trained super-soldier, he didn't know if it was right to decline. He had natural talent that went along with his reputation of being a skilled fighter, not to mention his father trained him. Roxas pushed the thoughts aside and reminded himself he hopefully wouldn't have to worry about that for at least two more school years.

"Can't let my best buddy risk his life if that isn't what he wants to do," Axel continued, placing a hand on his shoulder. "If it ain't your callin', it ain't your callin'. I don't care who your old man was. Besides, you know the girls would be heartbroken if something ever happened to you."

Roxas knew he was likely referring to Xion and Kairi (maybe Larxene). In the back of his mind, he wondered how Naminé would feel as well. He decided to lighten the mood. "Speaking of girls, there's actually something I wanted to talk to you about."

At the sound of 'girls,' Axel noticeably lit up. "My man! Finally gettin' some, eh?" He smirked and draped his arm around Roxas's shoulders. "I'll need details. Such as bust size, waistline measurements, lingerie repertoire, if you've gotten that far, and an overall rating out of ten."

Roxas shirked Axel's arm away. "It's not like that. She's just a friend... I think."

"You think?" Axel's shoulders slumped. "Well, this conversation just got infinitely less interesting."

"Look, I just wanna know if you have any input," Roxas said. "I think she's warmed up to me a little bit but I can't tell."

"Well, give me somethin' to go off of more than that. What's this chick like?"

Roxas imagined Naminé's timid, bespectacled face and a chuckle escaped him. "She's shy. Like, insanely shy. Clearly doesn't get out much. First time I met her, she was too afraid to speak. I didn't even know she could speak until the next day."

"Do you like her?"

"Not in the way you're thinking," Roxas clarified. "I just want to help her out. Get her more comfortable in her own skin. She looks like she could use a friend. I'm just not sure how I should go about it. I've tried to liven things up a little to break the awkward tension—this one time I broke into her house as a prank."

"You what?" Axel slapped his own forehead. "Are you an idiot? Ever heard of oversteppin' your boundaries? And that's comin' from me, Roxas. Me. Let that shit sink in."

Roxas put his hands up defensively. "Look, I know it sounds bad but you don't know this girl like I do. I needed to return something to her and she wouldn't have answered the door if I hadn't been that drastic."

Axel thumped Roxas on the forehead, resulting in a scowl from Roxas. "Then ya mail it to her, ya ding dong! Have I taught you nothin' over these past ten years on how to pick up chicks? Geez Louise. I raised you better than that, young man." Axel tapped his chin. "Well, we need to cover the most important thing: does this girl hate you?"

"I can't speak for her but I don't think so. We seemed to have a good time the last time I was with her."

"Then what's the issue? You wanna be her friend, right?" Axel asked. Roxas nodded. "Then stop bein' a little ass puss. Go over there and let her know you wanna be her friend. If the girl is as shy as you're sayin', then you shouldn't expect her to be super upfront about anything. You gotta call the shots. Let her know you wanna hang out. If she's cool with it, then she's cool with it. If she isn't, then you back off. It's elementary."

Roxas chuckled. "You always make things sound so simple."

"It is simple. Take it from your elder, kid. I want you to stop bein' a little shit fucker, grow a pair, and talk to this girl again. This time without lookin' like a desperate virgin." Axel thought about his comment for a moment. "Well, you are a virgin and all, but still—"

"D-Dude," Roxas stammered. "No need to throw me under the bus like that!"

"Roxas, baby, it's nothin' to be ashamed of." Axel patted Roxas's hair. "It's okay to be a late bloomer. Hell, if it makes you feel any better, I barely have any pubic hair. I'm as shaved as sphynx."

"That... how was that supposed to make me fee—you know what? Forget it." Roxas learned a long time ago that the less he tried understanding his best friend, the better.

"You honestly could've lost it forever ago. Remember Olette? Too bad she moved back to Twilight Town. She was hot. Dunno why you didn't go for it."

Roxas shrugged as he slipped into his loose, short-sleeved button-down. "It's not like I didn't want to. Olette was great, I just... I'd prefer it to be special, you know? With someone I really care about. Not that I didn't care about her, it just didn't seem like the right time. Unlike you, I think those kinds of things are a big deal. I'm not gonna lose it just to lose it."

"That's cute," Axel teased. "Well, whenever you decide to get laid, just know Big Daddy Axel's got your back for the tips that'll blow your lady friend away. I got a mean stroke. Just ask Larxene."

"I'm good," Roxas grimaced. "But thanks for offering, Le—" Roxas stopped before he could see his friend's threatening glare. "—Axel."

"Damn straight."

* * *

Riku stared at his reflection in the mirror.

His long silver hair was combed. A tight-fitting leather jacket overlapped his grey v-neck. He wore navy blue joggers that were loose but hugged his toned legs in all the right places, combat boots, and a star-shaped pendant hung around his neck. He sprayed cologne across the base of his neck—not too much, not too little. He looked great.

At least he would if it weren't for that damn pesky strand of hair sticking out the side of his head. The bastard wouldn't stay down even if he bashed his head with an iron. Riku aggressively combed until he lost his composure and ruffled his head into a disheveled mess out of frustration. He ran water over his face and combed his hair until it was back to the way he liked it. That strand still stood proud but instead of losing his composure, he plucked it out of his head and stared at it with contempt. He would not be defeated this time.

After spraying his hair with hairspray, Riku wiped his surprisingly sweaty hands against his pants. "Get a grip."

It wasn't often, in fact it was an extreme rarity, Riku lost his cool over a date. The last time he was this antsy was homecoming dance his freshman year of high school when he wanted to make sure he impressed his date at all costs—the exact opposite of what he accomplished that evening. He didn't like to think about it.

Kairi caught his attention since the first time they met. Even then he could tell there was something different about her. Riku had no qualms with the amount of attention he accumulated regularly by the female ratio of his peers, but he long grew numb to it. While he liked to pretend he was the macho "Master of Attraction" Riku, in actuality he was very indifferent towards the attention and thought it was nothing more than a welcomed distraction.

This was different. This was a girl he actually cared about impressing on a deeper level. He needed this to date to be perfect. He also needed to compose himself if he didn't want another repeat of the homecoming dance.

"You got this," he whispered. "Just relax. Be cool."

The smirk vanished as his hand shot out from under his weight. Instead of the sink, his one hand had landed on a jar of hair gel. Riku pitched sideways and stumbled as he tried to catch himself. His foot caught on the bottom of the shower curtain and he clung to is for support as the edge of the tub toppled him. Curtain rings went flying and bounced off every solid surface, including Riku's head. Riku cursed but quieted as he heard Sora's muffled voice on the other side of the door.

"Riku? You okay in there?"

"I'm fine," he called back before grumbling. Riku pushed himself to his feet, reattached the shower curtain, and washed his hands. He took a deep breath and exited the bathroom with a cocky grin on display to save face.

Sora approached him while chewing on a half-eaten banana and quirked an eyebrow. "Whaff waf that noishhe?" he asked.

"What are you, seven? Don't talk with your mouth full." Riku cringed. "It was nothing. I just dropped something."

Sora swallowed. "What'd you drop? That was a pretty loud thud."

Riku folded his arms while his mind went fishing for a good excuse. "Uh, well..."

"Look at you, lookin' all snazzy!" Riku was thankful Xion saved the day just in time before Sora could pry any further. She nudged him playfully. "You excited for your _daaaaate_?"

Riku chuckled. "You make it sound like I haven't done this before."

"Yeah, but you've never dated someone part of the gang before," Sora clarified. "Kairi is one of us. You know what that means, don't you?"

"What?" Riku asked.

"Ohhh, right!" Xion exclaimed. "It means the ultimate Chad himself will actually have to—"

"Don't say it," Riku interrupted with a finger once he realized where they were going with this.

"C... Co..." Sora teased.

"I'm warning you two—"

"Commit!" Sora and Xion sung in unison.

Riku let out a tired sigh. "You had to say it. The forbidden C word."

"I never thought I'd see the day," Sora said. "Riku committing? To a girl, of all things? And we're not even in our mid-forties yet! Are we sure this is the real Riku?"

"I have read conspiracy theories about aliens swapping places with unsuspecting citizens," Xion said as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

Riku returned to the bathroom mirror to mess with his hair a bit more in an attempt to ignore them. "Would you guys cut it out?"

Xion stood next to him. "But you are planning to commit, aren't you? You kinda have to." She grabbed Riku by the collar of his shirt and yanked him down to her level until they were eye-to-eye. "Because you don't want to know what I'll do to you if you hurt my friend's feelings. Trust me, it won't be pleasant."

Riku chuckled nervously. Xion could be scary when she wanted to be. He fixed his shirt after she let him go. "Relax, will you? I know dating someone in our circle means co... com..."

"Oh, for crying out loud," Xion groaned as she crossed her arms.

"You know the word, dammit. It's just one I'm not comfortable using as a label, that's all." Xion rolled her eyes to that. "Believe me when I say I've only got eyes for her right now."

Sora wrapped his arm around Riku's shoulders and smiled at him through the mirror. "Our little Riku is finally committed to someone. The days of him being a slut are finally over, Xion."

"He might've been a slut, but he was our slut." Xion pretended to wipe a tear. "They grow up so fast."

Riku shook his head as if he disapproved to keep his smile discreet. "Knock it off. I haven't been with that many girls. And it's not like I've ever cheated on anyone before."

"Still, you pursuing someone seriously is a pretty big deal. What makes Kairi so special?" Xion asked.

A lopsided grin crept onto his face. "She's just different, you know? It's refreshing to have someone who treats me like a normal person and she's never afraid to call me out on my bullshit."

"Hey, I call you out on your bullshit all the time," Xion reminded with a pout.

"You jelly?"

Xion placed a hand to her chest and pretended to gag. "Don't make me barf."

Riku chortled. "Exactly. You're like a sister to me so it's not the same. I expect you to call me out."

He and Xion did openly flirt with each other every once in a while but they both knew taking a serious step in a relationship would be too weird. Not to mention he felt that Xion would kick his ass if he ever did anything to upset her but he wasn't about to vocalize that.

"It's not just that," Riku continued. "She has this spark in her. She's always upbeat and looking for an adventure. She loves helping people and I find that admirable. It's probably why I've stuck with this kid all these years." He ruffled Sora's hair.

" _Heeey._ " Sora pouted.

"Aww, that's sweet," Xion said with an earnest smile.

Riku grinned mischievously. "It also helps she's really hot—"

" _Annnnnd_ you ruined it," she deadpanned.

Riku laughed. "Guilty as charged. Is it really so bad to acknowledge physical attraction?"

"As long as it isn't the only thing you find interesting about her," Xion said. "If that's the case, I'm totally letting her know."

"It's not. I promise," he answered honestly. Riku tidied himself up and made sure everything was the way he liked it. "Thanks for letting me use your hair product, Sora. Had to keep my hair like this somehow."

"Don't mention it," Sora said.

Riku stepped out of the bathroom and into the living room. He turned to his long-time childhood friends one last time and took a deep breath before presenting himself to them. "Okay, how do I look?"

Sora and Xion exchanged combined looks of shock and confusion.

"What did I say?" Riku asked, his eyes bouncing between them.

"Since when do you ever ask if you look good?" Xion asked.

"Yeah, you're usually more like _I know I look good._ " Sora deepened his voice, slicked his hair back, and flashed a cocky smirk in what was his best Riku impression. Xion giggled.

"Why are you guys on my case so hard? Can't a guy want to look decent for his lady?" Riku asked, tapping his foot.

Sora noticed the unusual tick. "Are you nervous?" he asked.

The question made Riku give a tense laugh. "I'm not nervous."

"Oh, my god. You are totally nervous," Xion chuckled, pinching Riku's cheek. He smacked her hand away. "That is so adorable."

"Whoa. Maybe he really does like her," Sora said incredulously.

"I'm not nervous!"

"Isn't that something someone would say if they were nervous?" Sora observed as he tucked his hands behind the back of his head with a cheeky grin.

Having enough of his friends teasing, Riku turned on his heel. "Okay, I'm leaving."

Xion laughed at his flushed face and patted him on the cheek playfully. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, Mr. Sex Guru. I'll let Kairi know you're on your way to pick her up."

Riku sneered. "Oh, look. You doing something useful for once."

"Watch that tone, mister. You be on your best behavior tonight, got it?"

"Sure thing, Mom."

After Xion left to get her phone in the next room, Sora patted Riku on the back. His encouraging smile made Riku overcome with a sudden rush of uncertainty.

"Listen, Sora," he started, "are you sure you're okay with this? I like Kairi, I really do, but the last thing I want is for a girl to come between us."

"What, are we married now?" Sora joked. "That's not gonna happen. If any girl is special enough for someone like you to consider committing to, I say she's a keeper." He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his shorts and shrugged. "If it makes you feel any better, Kairi is great and all but I don't think I'm into her like that anymore."

Riku wasn't sure how much he bought that, but... "As long as you're cool with it."

"Go for it!" Sora gave him a thumbs up and a wink. "Don't forget what I said. Don't treat her like she's just some girl you can mess around with, okay? Do me a favor and give Kairi an awesome time."

Riku smiled and nodded. "Thanks, man. I'll do my best."

Once Riku exited through the front door, Sora's shoulders deflated and his optimistic smile deformed into a one laced with melancholy. Sora turned around and almost jumped when he saw Xion leaning against the doorframe leading to their kitchen with her arms crossed and her gummiphone in hand.

"What're you looking at?" he asked. He felt around his jaw. "Food on my face?"

Xion shook her head with a bittersweet smile of her own before placing a supportive hand on his shoulder as she passed him. "You're a good guy, Sora."

When Xion disappeared upstairs, Sora was left alone to ruminate over her words.

He sighed. Depressing thoughts aside, did he even have time for a relationship? If he ended up having to leave Destiny Islands to go on some big, important mission, it wouldn't bode well for any kind of serious relationship.

As long as Riku played his cards right, Kairi would be better off. Sora tried not to beat himself up over it and looked at the bright side of things. He never approved of Riku's casual approach to dating, (despite his endless curiosity whenever Riku mentioned one of his encounters). But Sora knew what kind of person Riku was deep down and despite his cavalier attitude towards commitment, the right girl would bring out the best in him. So at the very least, Kairi would be happy and Riku would find someone special to him. That was good enough.

"Oh, well."

* * *

Kairi applied the finishing touches to her ensemble for the night: an off-shoulder black and pink striped top, a flared black skirt, knee-high socks, and wedges.

"That's a cute look!" Xion complimented through the video chat app.

"You think so?" Kairi examined herself in her vanity. "I kinda just threw this together last minute."

"That's pretty impressive for a last-minute scramble. So, you excited?"

"Yeah, about that..." Kairi trailed off.

"Hey, at least you have an actual date tonight." Xion pointed behind her. "All I've got is popcorn, a Blu-ray of The Notebook, and him as my imaginary boyfriend."

A plushie of Winnie the Pooh had its back against her bed's headboard. Next to it was a bucket of popcorn and a remote. It looked like Xion had everything in order.

"Ready to be my cuddle buddy, Pooh?" Xion asked. As if a response to her question, the plush flopped over and face planted against the mattress as if it were agonizing the night ahead. "Wow, I'm even getting rejected by inanimate objects. Is this what rock bottom feels like?"

Kairi giggled. "I'd be totally down to embrace rock bottom with you right now if I didn't have to deal with a certain someone tonight. But I'd feel bad if I canceled at this point."

"Riku isn't so bad. Trust me, I've known the big turkey since I was four. I know he seems like an arrogant jerk on the outside but he has a sweet side. Admirable, even. Between you and me, he's actually a huge dork."

Kairi laughed. "Is that so?"

"In more ways than one," she said somewhat cryptically. "He looked pretty fidgety before he left our place so I think that's a sign he really likes you and wants the night to go well. The last time I saw him act like that about a girl was with our cousin, Amaya. Dude was sweating so bad you'd think he just got done running track in the Olympus games."

"Really?" Kairi asked. She could hardly picture it. "It's not like I don't like Riku. It's just that I don't, you know... _like_ Riku. He's not a bad guy but I'm not sure if the muscle bound playboy is my type."

"Just give him a chance. He'll probably be there any second now so I'll let you go. Give me all the juicy deets later, 'kay?"

Kairi bowed her head dramatically. "As long as you keep me in your prayers."

Xion gave a knowing grin. "Good luck, girl."

They both hung up and Kairi put her phone into her tiny handbag. After one final look in her vanity, Kairi left her room and ended up nearly bumping into her sister. Thank goodness she didn't. Naminé had a glass of milk in her hand and it would have been bad if she had to change her outfit over spilled milk.

Naminé adjusted her glasses. "You look nice. About to go on your date?"

"Thanks! And yup, he's about to pick me up. Please tell me Dad left by now."

Naminé sent a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Kai. He hasn't left yet."

"Are you serious?" Kairi groaned. "I thought he was headed for the precinct like thirty minutes ago! Do you know what he'll do if he sees a guy picking me up?"

"You could always jump out the window," Naminé joked.

"Don't be silly. I just need to figure out a way to get past him. Can you help me out?"

Naminé recoiled. "Me? What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know—can you distract him or something?"

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." Naminé shook her head viciously. "How come I'm the one always getting roped into your messes? Don't you think it would've been smarter to not take the chance and go meet this guy somewhere else?"

"I would have but Riku insisted on picking me up! And in my defense, I thought Dad would have been long gone by now. I just need you to distract him and if he asks where I'm at, cover for me." Kairi pouted. "Pleeeease?"

Naminé sighed dramatically before she set her glass of milk next to her room and stomped back downstairs. Kairi sent an appreciative smile and followed her sister. Naminé poked her head behind the wall of the dining room to find Snow organizing files on the table. She looked at Kairi and put a finger to her lips. With wide ocean blue eyes, Kairi nodded back and put a finger to her own lips in response.

Naminé strolled towards her father with her hands tied behind her back. "Hi, Dad. What are you up to?"

Snow raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often either of his daughters would be interested in anything he was doing—if Kairi did it was a red flag to be suspicious. But Naminé was rarely up to anything underhanded so he let it slide. "Looking over some documents on our latest suspect. Why?"

"Oh, nothing." Snow stared at her for a few uneventful seconds before returning to his work. "So, um... how are you liking the islands?"

Snow sent her another curious stare but rolled with it. "It's nice."

"Y-Yeah, it is," Naminé agreed. "You liking the new workplace?"

"It's okay, I guess."

This was going nowhere. While Snow wasn't paying attention, Naminé stole a quick glance at Kairi, who had her head peered her out from the staircase wall, and shrugged. Kairi made a motion of her hands beckoning her to keep trying. Naminé begrudgingly complied.

"Hey, Dad," Naminé continued. "Um, did you know that dolphins sleep with one eye open so that one side of the brain can rest while the other watches for predators?"

Kairi slapped her own forehead.

It took a moment for Snow to come up with a response. "No, I didn't. That's, uh—interesting."

"Y-Yeah. I saw it in a documentary on dolphins. Do you think you might want to check it out?"

"Not right now, Naminé. Maybe later."

Naminé rubbed her arm and kept her focus on the floor. While Naminé wracked her brain for some kind of save, her heart skipped a beat when the doorbell rang and it caught all three of the Villiers by surprise.

"I wonder who that could be at this hour." Snow looked towards the front hall. He put his files down as he got out of his chair but the rigid Naminé stepped in front of him.

"O-Oh, uh, don't worry about it, Dad! I'll go check it out," Naminé insisted.

Snow stared at his daughter for a moment before gradually sitting back down, skepticism painted all over his face. Since when did Naminé ever offer to answer the door? He figured he would let the scene play if only out of curiosity. "All right…"

Normally Naminé would be overly anxious to answer the door but she didn't have the time to fret. She sped walked towards the door and opened it to find a tall, strikingly handsome silver-haired boy standing before her. His hands were behind his back and his rehearsed confident grin deformed into a confused straight line. Riku hadn't seen Naminé since the party. Her appearance was a happy surprise—Kairi spoke of her sister often and he wanted a chance to meet her properly. Naminé's words hitched in her throat as her lips quivered.

"Oh, hey there," he greeted. "It's Naminé, right? It's nice to meet you. I'm Riku Miyano. Is your sist—"

"N-N-N-Not interested!" Naminé slammed the door shut and walked back towards the dining room with her shoulders hiked up to her ears and her fists clenched.

"What was that all about?" Snow asked once she returned.

"Oh, you know... just some pesky Yevon Witness." Naminé waved it off with a chuckle.

"Are you okay, Naminé? You're acting a little strange."

"Who's strange? Me? Strange? Why accuse me of being strange? I don't think I'm strange. Strange is kind of a strange word, isn't it? Don't be silly, Dad! I'm always like this! Hehehehe!"

Sitting on the bottom steps of the staircase, Kairi buried her face into her hands as she contemplated writing both her and her sister's obituaries.

"Speaking of strange, I saw something strange in the backyard the other day," Naminé continued, pulling her father to his feet. "How about we go look at it real quick?"

"Right now?" Snow asked. "Naminé, I have to be in the office soon, I'm already running it tight enough as it is."

"It'll be just a sec. Come on! It's super interesting!"

After Naminé and her father's voices faded away, Kairi checked to see if the coast was clear before answering the door to find an understandably confused Riku waiting for her. But he quickly dissolved into a warm smile at the sight of her. He took a moment to admire her appearance before addressing the elephant in the room.

"You're not gonna slam the door in my face too, are you?" he asked in good humor.

Kairi tapped her chin. "Mmm, I dunno. It looked pretty fun when Naminé did it!"

Riku shook his head. "Very funny."

Kairi shut the door behind her. "Hope the wait wasn't too annoying."

"Nah, it's fine. Besides, you're worth the wait." Riku grinned. "You look beautiful, by the way."

Kairi smirked. "And I'm sure that's the first time you used those super original lines, huh?"

Riku was stilted. No matter what, his usual moves never seemed to impress. Most girls he knew would have blushed and giggled at the flattery but Kairi took it and moved on like it meant nothing to her. Just another reason he found her so interesting. "Yeah, but what if I told you it was the first time I meant it?"

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Then you're skirt-chasing womanizer who toys with the emotions of unsuspecting girls. Next question?"

That one backfired. She never cut him a break. He realized everything he said in this direction would be twisted, so instead Riku pretended to cough and changed the subject. "So... what was that all about, anyway?"

Kairi sighed. "Sorry, Naminé meant nothing by it. She was just trying to keep my father from answering the door and pretended like you were someone else. If he saw you out here, he'd probably gouge your eyes out, beat you with a baseball bat, and then sit back with a cup of coffee as he watched you bleed out on the pavement."

Riku gulped. Was this his first sign to flee to the hills? "That was frighteningly specific."

"The point is, you might want to steer clear of my dad for a while."

"Duly noted."

"Welp, let's get this show on the road!" She noticed his arms behind his back. "Whatcha hidin' back there?"

"Well, it's not much." Riku shrugged before revealing a bouquet. "Just picked these up on the way here. Was wondering if you'd like them?"

Kairi gasped and accepted the token of generosity. She took a whiff of their delightful scent. "Iris's? They're so pretty!" She gave Riku a curious look before deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt. "That was very considerate of you, Riku."

"One point for the skirt-chasing womanizer, I hope?" His question came off as more of a plea than he intended.

"Let's just say it's pending."

There was something about that smile he found so radiant. Suddenly, Riku felt like a little boy meeting his elementary crush as he rubbed the back of his head with a grin. He realized what he was doing and caught himself. He cleared his throat. "I'm glad you like them. Those bitches weren't cheap."

Kairi giggled. "They're lovely. Thank you."

Riku placed a hand on her back and led her to his car. "Well then, your chariot awaits."

"What, no carriage with horses and rose petals fluttering in the wind? I'm underwhelmed."

"Such high maintenance. I'm not a miracle worker, you know? Just a sexy guy. With good taste in flower picking, apparently."

Kairi laughed. "You keep telling yourself that."

Riku opened the door for Kairi like a gentleman and she slid into the passenger seat while Riku circled over to the driver's seat.

"I'm guessing we're not just grabbing a smoothie at this point, are we?" Kairi asked as she buckled in.

"I think we're both overdressed for a smoothie outing, wouldn't you agree? I figured I'd treat you to something more than that tonight."

"Oh, really? And what might that be?"

"Can't spoil all my surprises, can I?"

Meanwhile, after Riku drove off, Naminé led Snow back into their house through the sliding doors. "Gosh, I could've sworn it was there just the other day," Naminé lied.

Snow didn't seem convinced. "Is Kairi putting you up to something?"

"N-No, of course not!" She giggled. "What makes you say that?"

He narrowed his eyes. "No reason."

As much as he would have liked to continue interrogating her, Snow was behind schedule enough as it was and let it go for the time being. Once he collected his documents, Naminé made a brief inspection of the house to see if Kairi was still around and thankfully she seemed to be nowhere in sight. Naminé let out a sigh of relief as she returned to the front hall to see her father halfway out the door.

"Do you mind grabbing your sister?" Snow asked. "I want to tell to get started on some laundry before I get back."

"O-Oh, uh, no. Kairi just left half an hour ago, to um... go get groceries!"

"I thought she went grocery shopping yesterday?"

Naminé blinked. Darn it, how could she forget that? "And... she went back because she forgot the tilapia last time."

"Ohhhh. Makes sense." Naminé would have wiped the sweat off her brow if she could. "You sure you're okay, Naminé? I know Kairi and I haven't been around much. I hate leaving you here by yourself all the time."

Naminé shook her head and waved it off. "Don't worry about it. I don't mind the solitude. It's peaceful. Besides, I have Mocchi."

"I guess so." Snow ground his teeth for before shaking out of his conflicted thoughts. "Well, be sure to call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Will do, Dad."

Snow kissed her on the forehead before leaving. The house suddenly felt empty and barren again. Normally, she wouldn't have minded the solitude but she admitted it had been getting increasingly lonely as of late.

"Just me again."

She heard a soft purring coming from below. Mocchi rubbed against Naminé's leg affectionately. The gesture made Naminé smile as she kneeled down to scratch her chin.

"Or should I say just you and me?"

Naminé walked back to her room and Mocchi followed. She picked up her untouched glass of milk and plopped onto her bed where she left her blank sketchbook earlier. She stared at it in contempt, as if she had a personal vendetta against it.

"Mocchi, this stinks," Naminé said as she took a pitiful sip of her milk. "Drawing used to be my form of escapism but I haven't been able to do it lately because of this stupid artist's block. It's been like this for weeks. I never had this problem before. At least, not for this long."

"Did you ever consider it might be because you're bored?" Mocchi suggested as she licked the back of her paw. "Don't you think it might be a bit hard to get inspired when you're not allowing yourself to have new experiences? You're limiting your own creativity."

Naminé didn't want to consider it a possibility. She never got bored. Every time she did, her mind would always find something to keep her preoccupied. Lately, she hadn't been able to rely on that. No matter what, her mind was running empty to the point where ideas became a rare commodity. She couldn't even write poetry. It was a truth she didn't want to accept but had to face.

"You might be right," Naminé admitted reluctantly. "What should I do?"

"Well, you could always go look for something to do that doesn't involve drawing," Mocchi said. "Maybe it's time you go out and explore Destiny Islands. After all, you do think it's an exquisite place."

"That's not the point. You and I both know that's a horrible idea." Naminé shifted her shoulders. "Every time I go outside, something bad happens. I passed out last time, remember?"

"Ever consider that resulted from you not getting enough exercise in the first place?"

Naminé frowned. "Hey, how about you stop using your logic powers against me, okay? How about that?"

"Touchy today, aren't we? I'm just saying maybe if you got out more, you wouldn't lack so much energy. It's been affecting your diet and your imagination, whether you want to admit it or not."

"I didn't ask for a lecture."

Mocchi curled up into a ball in Naminé's lap and closed her eyes. Naminé mindlessly ran her fingers through her fur. "What about Roxas?"

"What about Roxas?" Naminé echoed.

"You seemed like you were having fun the last time he was here. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if he came back. Who knows? He could be the key to getting some of your spark back. Hey, I know! You should ask for his number the next time you see him."

"Absolutely not! I-I mean, it's not like I would mind having it, but… what if he says no?" She twiddled her thumbs. "B-Besides, who says I was having fun?"

"You sure looked like you were having fun from my point of view," the cat teased.

Naminé scrunched her eyebrows. "Now you sound like my sister." Her expression softened. "Well... okay, I admit, it was kind of nice having someone else around."

"So, you'd like it if he came back?"

"Yes, I suppose," she admitted. A loud rumble came from her tummy. Mocchi looked at her with wide eyes and Naminé blushed. "Sorry. Guess I'm hungrier than I thought I was."

Before Naminé could go back downstairs to rummage through their fridge for a snack, a pebble knocked against the window. Naminé and Mocchi exchanged a brief glance before the former opened her window and looked down to find a friendly face looking up at her with a plastic bag in one of his hands.

"R-Roxas?"

Roxas gave her a casual salute before dramatically crouching on one knee. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Let down your hair!"

Naminé blinked for a moment but allowed herself a tiny smile. "I-I-I wasn't expecting you to show up. Unannounced," she added bitterly.

Roxas stood up and wiped his denim jeans pants. "Not happy to see me?"

"That's not it. N-Not that I am happy either, I'm uh... just wondering what's the occasion, is all."

Roxas shrugged. "Does there need to be one? Maybe I was just in the neighborhood and stopped by because I wanted to say hi. Ever think of that?"

Naminé leaned her elbow against her windowsill and the side of her face against her fist. "You must have been really bored if you want to spend your Friday evening with plain old me."

"The opposite. Hanging out with you is pretty fun."

Naminé puffed out her cheeks. "It's not very nice to lie to people."

"I'm serious," he chuckled. "I genuinely want to hang out with you." Naminé found the casual declaration rather embarrassing. "So, is it okay if you let me in?"

Naminé had no objections. In fact, she wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was relieved to see him. It was almost too perfect Roxas would arrive as soon as she thought about him. But she didn't want him to get the idea she liked him. Because she didn't. Obviously. He was simply a source for entertainment and intrigue. There was never a dull moment with him. Still, she wouldn't let him in that easily.

"Should I, Roxas? I'm not sure if I'm in the mood to have you running around with my private possessions. How am I supposed to trust you when you don't have any respect for my personal belongings?"

"Oh, come on. I was just messing with you! That was fun and you know it." Roxas gave a mischievous smirk. "I think it's kinda cute you're so protective of some silly, old drawings."

Naminé blushed. "Th-They're not just silly, old drawings, okay? They represent my progression. It's my foundation as an artist and yes, that's very important to me."

Roxas raised his hands defensively. "Okay, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken your things. I guess it's just ever since I first met you, and having you not even speak to me, it's made it all the more fun to get a reaction out of you. I guess I go overboard sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

Roxas rubbed the back of his head. "How about I promise not to mess with your private stuff ever again?"

Naminé tapped her chin. "That's a good start but I'm not convinced. Give me a good reason I should let you in after you made us look super weird in front of my sister."

"Well," Roxas began before he pulled out what he was hiding in the plastic bag. "I brought instant ramen."

Naminé tried to fight it but she felt the ends of her lips curve upward.

_**Memories of Infatuation** _


	8. Memories of Foundation

Roxas,

Have I ever told you that you remind me a lot of Kairi? I'm sure I have. You two are on the different sides of the same coin. Or is the saying same sides of a different coin? I don't know but you're both annoying, you have this mischievous sneer you like to project whenever you feel you've won something (to be fair, I do that too sometimes), and you're both way too pushy for your own good. Despite all of that, I love you both with every fiber of my being.

Saying that makes me feel icky.

I'm able to overlook it because I know you guys have my best interest at heart. I can't say enough good things about my sister. She's always been there for me. Whenever I was in a rut, she'd make sure all my needs were taken care of. She might have been irritating but I could never bring myself to be mad at her for long. For all her flaws, she's a very altruistic person. Just like her boyfriend. They're probably just as disgusting of a couple as we are.

I, uh... I didn't mean that in a dirty way, but if the shoe fits...

Okay, bad joke. Moving on.

You, on the other hand, are also annoying and persistent. But even though I said you two were the same, you're different from Kairi. You're focused on getting me to be more open, more free, and to have a sense of self. You've always wanted me to be who I am, even if I was too afraid to let that side of myself be known out of a fear of rejection or disapproval.

In short, Kairi is pushy on me being artificially comfortable outside of my comfort zone; you are pushy on me being comfortable with myself regardless of my comfort zone. Does that make sense? It probably doesn't. But I wouldn't have learned to embrace myself if it weren't for you.

I didn't notice it then, but looking back, I realize when you took that initiative. I think it might have been the day when Riku and Kairi had their first date.

* * *

Kairi figured a smoothie outing would have been too simplistic but she didn't expect to be brought to an energized nightclub bouncing with neon lights and blaring electronic music. She sat alone at one of the many booths, watching the animated dance floor while restraining her urge to get out there herself. The DJ effortlessly worked the crowd and got most in attendance on their feet.

Riku returned to their table with two glasses with fancy straws in his possession. He took a seat across from his date. "One coconut water for you and a lemonade for me."

Kairi accepted the drink. "Thanks! While a pineapple-mango smoothie would have been nice, I have to admit, this is a neat place."

"I've been living on these islands for seventeen years. I know where the best spots are," Riku said. "That's what I tell myself, anyway."

"You seem like the type to tell yourself a lot of things." Kairi took a sip from her water. "Mmm, this is good! I'm kinda surprised you didn't suggest alcohol instead."

Riku scoffed before taking a sip out of his lemonade. "I wish. You need an I.D showing you're twenty-one to buy alcohol here. We're lucky they allow minors at all."

"You sound disappointed," Kairi observed. "What? Were you planning something?"

Riku furrowed his brows at the implication. "No, I wasn't. If you would've said you didn't want alcohol, I wouldn't have given you alcohol because I'm not that kind of guy."

Kairi gave a skeptical look before taking a sip of her drink. "I'll take your word for it."

He frowned. "Is there something I did I should know about that would make you treat me like I'm some sort of scumbag? Cut in front of you at a Dunkin Donuts line?" he added jokingly. "I feel like I've been nothing but nice to you, haven't I?"

"Don't take it personally," Kairi insisted. "I'm just keeping my guard up. My dad's always told me there's a thin line between being nice and being manipulative."

"I don't disagree," Riku said, though he couldn't help but take it personally, regardless. "Just out of curiosity, have you ever had a boyfriend before?"

The sudden question surprised Kairi at first. Her eyes examined the texture of their table as she reminisced bittersweet memories. "I don't date often. Believe it or not, I'm pretty inexperienced. My father is crazy protective sometimes so I haven't really had much room to experiment. But there was a boy once. We weren't together long."

"What happened?" Riku asked. "Let me guess, he cheated on you?"

Kairi shook her head. "No, nothing like that. He was actually very sweet for a while. After a point, he wanted to take our relationship to the next level; a level I wasn't comfortable with at the time. I went from the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen with the most adorable twinkle in her eye to a stuck up prude bitch who wasn't that hot anyway as he insisted he could get what he _really_ wanted elsewhere in record time."

Riku wanted to gag. He had met the type before. "Ah. One of _those_ , huh?"

"One of those," Kairi affirmed. She then shrugged. "No biggie, though. I wouldn't consider him my first love or anything. I don't even know if that qualified as a relationship but it hurt at the time."

Riku gave an understanding nod. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I promise I'm not like that at all. If you think I'm just some jerk who only wants one thing, I want to say—respectfully—you've got the wrong assumption."

"I dunno." Kairi gave him a teasing smirk as she swirled the ice in her glass with her straw. "I've heard rumors about you getting around, Romeo."

"The reports of my promiscuity are greatly exaggerated," Riku quipped. "I think I get a bad rep because I like to flirt here and there."

"You seem awfully comfortable when your fangirls are around to fawn over you, that's for sure."

"I don't find it as flattering as you might think."

Kairi rolled her eyes. She didn't buy that for one second. "Oh, really?"

"It's nice and all, but it's shallow. You probably won't believe me but I've been looking for something with more substance for a while now. It's not always easy to find someone genuine."

"Oh, you _poor_ dear." Kairi placed her hands to her chest. "Let me guess, you've also experienced a heartbreak that made you _not like other guys,"_ she mocked in a deep voice.

Riku chuckled. "Yeah, I know. It sounds like a first-world problem but it's true. I think that's what I like about you. You don't act different around me. You see me for who I am."

"And just who are you?"

Riku gave her a warm smile. "Someone who thinks you're awesome and wants to give you a great time."

Kairi stared at him for a while, leaving Riku feeling skittish. No flattery? No blushing? No gushing? She eventually broke the silence with a tired sigh. "Look, Riku, I don't hate you. I actually don't think you're all that bad. The flowers? Those were nice. Really. But you wanna know what my issue with you is?"

Riku blinked. Didn't they already establish this? "You think I'm a womanizing skirt-chaser with little respect for women?"

"Mmmm, close. But not really." Kairi looked at him square in the eye. "My issue with you is that you're pretending to be someone you're not because you think that's what you're supposed to do."

Riku was speechless. He had never been accused of something along those lines before. It was a revelation. It should have been a good thing and yet, with the way she said it, he couldn't help but feel icky.

"What makes you say that?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"I've seen the way you act around Sora. You're always looking after him and I can tell by his face he thinks the world of you. Like you're a big brother. I figure there has to be something more to you than some tall heartbreaker with abs."

"So, what's the problem then? If you think there's more to me, isn't that a good thing? I don't see you acting like that towards Lea."

"With Lea, it feels genuine," Kairi rebutted. "But you? I think you could do so much better and you don't want to because, let's face it, you're really attractive. And being attractive can get you a lot of things from a lot of people. I guess you can blame my dad. He's warned me about guys like you all my life. People who think their charms and charisma can get them whatever they want. So, I'm establishing that will _not_ be the case with me and if that's what you were expecting, we can end this now and not waste anyone's time. I hope we're clear?"

Riku paused for a moment before nodding. "Crystal."

She smiled innocently. "Good."

"Though, I'm disappointed you would make that kind of assumption about me in the first place. I told you, that's _not_ my intention. I don't see why you'd assume it was."

Kairi crossed her arms. "Well, gee. You're cocky, you walk around like you're some gift to humanity, you always attempt those lame pickup lines, you seem awfully flirtatious in the company of your dozens of fangirls. I wonder what would give me that impression?"

Riku wanted to object, but it proved difficult. She grinned at him victoriously. "I want you to know that I'm not as much of a playboy as you might think," Riku insisted.

Kairi remained unconvinced. "Uh huh."

"It's true. Kairi, I really like you and I want you to like me. You don't have to like me in a romantic sense necessarily but I want you to know that I'm not some womanizer who just messes around with any girl who bats her eyelashes at me and then tosses them out like yesterday's garbage."

" _Riiiiii-Riiiii!"_

The voice in the short distance put a hold on their conversation. Riku and Kairi looked over, the former with dread, to find a spirited girl skipping towards them.

Riku tiredly rubbed his eyes. "Oh no," he muttered under his breath. Of all the people that had to be there, it had to be _her._

The girl, unfamiliar to Kairi, approached their table and gave them both a manipulatively cute smile. "I didn't know you'd be here tonight, Riku!"

Riku gave the girl a forced smile. "The feeling's mutual."

"And hey, looks like you brought a super cute friend!" The ends of the girl's lips and her left eyebrow twitched. "Lovely."

Without bothering to ask for permission, the girl slid into the booth next to Riku and extended her hand out to Kairi.

"Nice to meet ya! I'm Rikku."

Kairi stifled a laugh at the irony of her name and shook the girl's hand. "Nice to meet you too! I'm Kairi."

"Aww, what a pretty name," Rikku complimented. "So, you guys are on a date, I presume?"

Riku rubbed his temples. Kairi didn't fail to notice his annoyance. "Something like that," he answered.

"So, Rikku," Kairi started. "How do you know... uh, Riku?"

"Oh, we've hung out once or twice," Rikku answered. "We've gotten to know each other _intimately._ Wouldn't you agree, Ri-Ri?" she whispered huskily into his ear. Kairi snickered at the nickname.

Riku groaned. He wanted to disappear. "Something like that," he repeated.

"Although, it's funny." Rikku tapped her chin. "You returned none of my calls or texts, did you? That was a shame."

"Don't you even start," Riku said, raising his voice. "You know exactly why—"

"Gosh, Riku! No need to get testy," Rikku cut him off with a shrug. "It was just an observation, that's all."

"But you—"

"Be careful with this one, Kairi," Rikku continued with a chuckle, pretending to be discreet even though she clearly meant to be heard by the boy in question. "He can be a handful. Between you and me, he has quite the low attention span."

"I'll keep that in mind," Kairi said as she laughed along with her. The sound of them being buddy-buddy almost made Riku want to rip his hair out. It was like being cornered by two ex-girlfriends that hated his guts.

"Well, I'll let you two get back to it," Rikku said. "I just came by to say hi. Don't let little old nosy me get in the way of your fun. Hope I see you around, Kairi! Let me know if this guy gives you any trouble."

"Will do," Kairi returned.

Rikku offered a final glance at Riku before exiting the booth and regrouping with her friends. Riku and Kairi were caught in a silence painful for the former due to the latter's unrelenting smirk that seemed to be a signature for her.

"You were saying?" Kairi said slyly.

"Kairi, I know what that might have looked like but, trust me, it's not what you think," Riku clarified. "That girl is not what she appears to be."

"She seemed pretty nice to me."

"You don't understa—"

"Riku, save your breath," Kairi interrupted. "You don't need to explain yourself. If it makes you feel any better, I don't hate you. Like I said, I don't think you're that bad and you can be fun to have around. But you really do not need to go out of your way, okay? You are who you are and I'm fine with that. So, stop pressuring yourself, okay?"

This was going south fast. Riku waved his hands vehemently. "That's great and all, but what I'm trying to say is—"

"I'm gonna go hit the dance floor. I think it's time we liven things up!" Kairi gave him a bright and inviting smile. "You coming?"

Riku sighed. Kairi wasn't having any of it. He looked towards the dance floor and took a mental note of the underlying promiscuity, likely the result of alcohol and raging hormones. "I'll sit this one out. With large crowds like these, I don't dance."

Kairi slid out of her seat and snuck behind him, resting her arms against his broad shoulders. "I say you can."

"Not a chance."

"No?" Kairi performed a few flashy dance moves. "If I can do this, well, you could do that!"

"But I don't—" Riku paused when he realized he fell for her trap. Kairi went into a fit of giggles. "Very funny."

"You know the song! You gotta follow the script."

Riku's cheeks grew redder. He was embarrassed to even say he recognized the reference. It ruined his macho image. "That was pure coincidence. I'd rather not have the whole club break into unified song and dance." Riku took a swig of his lemonade.

Kairi stuck her tongue out at him. "You're no fun. You ought to lighten up, Ri-Ri."

"The fact that you just called me that—I'm a little offended, I have to say."

"You know what I think?" She gave him a cocky smile. "I think you _can't_ dance and Mr. Macho is too afraid of being upstaged."

"I _can_ dance, thank you very much," Riku countered. "I'm just—preserving my energy for the festival." Kairi remained unconvinced and folded her arms. "How about you go have fun? I'll catch up with you in a sec."

Kairi shrugged. "Suit yourself. But you're missing out!"

It wasn't long before Kairi disappeared into the mass of bodies gyrating and grinding on the dance floor. She wasted no time moving to the rhythm of the song and Riku found her spirited movements amusing. She happened to be a pretty good dancer and it almost tempted him to join her. But he wasn't in the mood at the moment—at least, that's what he told himself. After a while, the sight of a few clearly interested guys, whether it be infatuation or lust, dancing with Kairi prodded Riku's nerves more than he cared to admit. This night wasn't going the way he planned at all. Riku chugged the rest of his drink. He caught sight of of a passing employee and got their attention with a whistle. "Could you get me a refill?"

For the next ten minutes, Riku watched Kairi light up the dance floor while he took bitter sips from his lemonade. She accused him of being a flirt but she sure looked cozy in the middle of all those guys drooling rivers over her. Then again, he could see Kairi getting a kick out of messing with them. Heck, she messed with Riku all the time.

A shadow loomed over him. "Well, look who it is."

Riku grimaced at the thought of somebody else interrupting his evening. He recognized the overconfident voice and the man in question was accompanied by Rai, a tall and muscular guy, along with Fuu, a short girl with lavender hair.

"Seifer? Wasn't expecting to see the resident killjoys of Destiny Islands in a place like this."

Seifer shrugged. "It's never a bad idea cut loose every once in a while. I needed a break from training all week. Been looking forward to knocking you and the rest of your loser friends down a peg in the tournament one last time before I set off after graduation."

"How many tournaments have you won again, Seif?" Riku asked, knowing full well the answer was zero.

"Shut up," Seifer spat. "That ain't important."

"Yeah! Seifer's gonna give you guys a run for your money this year, y'know?" Rai said.

"What do you want, Seifer?" Riku asked, his impatience flaring.

"Just wanted to ask you a few questions." Seifer motioned his head towards Kairi out on the dance floor. "For starters, who's that girl you came here with? The redhead."

"What do you care? Were you thinking of talking to her yourself?"

"Not at all. Just wanted to figure out where the hell her taste in assholes like you came from. Seems a bit out of your league, wouldn't you say?"

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing for you."

"As much as I'd love to show the lady a good time and get her to stop hanging out with pricks, unlike you, I have self-respect and dignity. I don't go around stealing other people's girls behind their back."

"Seifer, we've been through this. For the last time, I'm sorry about what happened between me and Rinoa. I had no idea you two were together and if I had, I wouldn't have bothered with her at all. I don't mess with girls in relationships. She was the one who wasn't being honest with either of us." Riku downed the rest of his lemonade and stood to his feet. "If anything, I did you a favor. Now you know she was no good for you. What else do you want from me?"

"It ain't just about Rinoa anymore. Everything doesn't need some kind of motivation. Maybe it's as simple as I don't like you. And nothing would give me more satisfaction than punching that smug ass smirk off your face with some disciplinary measures," Seifer said as he punched his fist into his palm. "What better way to do that than in front of the whole town during the tournament?"

"Oh yeah, Seifer's gotten way stronger since last year, y'know?" Rai said.

"Eradication," the stoic, almost bored-looking Fuu said.

Riku scoffed. "Okay, Seifer. Let's say hypothetically you beat me in the struggle tournament. Then what? Will that satisfy you?"

"Humiliating you in front of the whole town? Sure, I'd say that'd be satisfying enough." Seifer gave him an aggressively-looking grin. "You try to act all noble but you're just an insecure little shit with no respect for women and takes advantage of them. You better keep in mind I run this island. It's my job to make sure scumbags like you get the treatment they deserve."

Riku and Seifer locked into a glaring contest for a while until Riku broke the silence. "You know, I'm starting to see why Rinoa dumped you."

Seifer grunted as Riku attempted to walk past him. He blocked Riku with his shoulder and didn't hesitate to pull his fist back. Seifer punched Riku square in the face, hard enough to knock him to the ground. The impulsive act caught the attention of many nearby club attendees and they watched the scene unfold with the anticipation of a full-fledged fight breaking out. They gossiped amongst each other and side conversations ensued. Riku winced in pain as he held onto his left eye.

Kairi noticed the crowd forming and pushed through a sea of onlookers to see what the fuss was about.

Seifer smirked, though it looked more like he was gnashing his teeth. "Struggle battles are nice but nothin' beats a good street brawl, wouldn't you agree? Who needs a tournament when we can take this outside and embarrass you in front of all these people?"

Riku glared at Seifer, who looked like he was seconds away from exploding considering how red his face had become. Riku wasn't intimidated. He probably looked about the same and, if he didn't, he sure felt like it on the inside. "You know, that doesn't sound like such a bad idea."

As Riku pushed himself up to his feet, he was surprised to see Kairi step in front of him with her hands placed on her hips.

"Just who the heck do you think you are?" Kairi asked, her eyes burrowing holes at Seifer. "That was beyond uncalled for!"

Seifer calmed down. He might have been willing to rough up someone he deemed an asshole, but he wasn't comfortable getting aggressive towards a girl. "Sorry. It ain't anything personal. I just needed to teach your boyfriend a lesson. No offense, but you could do a heckuva lot better."

"Aren't you a bucket of sunshine," Kairi murmured. "Please keep your hands to yourself. There's no reason to make things violent."

Seifer was quick to defend himself. "But this guy—"

"No," Kairi interrupted sternly. "I don't care what your deal is. You need to learn some self-control. Resorting to violence doesn't make you alpha, if that's what you were led to believe. It makes you look silly and pathetic, like a child throwing a temper tantrum over not getting his way because they're incapable of sorting through issues like someone who's actually capable of rational discourse. Do you really want to be _that_ guy? If not, I suggest you go somewhere else so that you can cool down."

A couple of "ooh's" came from the crowd of onlookers. Seifer became noticeably flustered. Being the leader of his own unofficial Destiny Islands disciplinary committee, it wasn't often someone would tell him off like that. He didn't have a retort, and he refused to hit a girl, so he walked away with a feigned look of indifference. "Whatever," he muttered under his breath.

Kairi rolled her eyes at Seifer's retreating form and checked on Riku. He was still holding his left eye, but she got the gist of his shocked expression through his right eye.

"...Is it okay that I am beyond turned on right now?"

"Save it," Kairi chastised. "Let me see." She pulled his hand away from his eye to confirm Riku indeed had a black eye. "Ugh, that jerk. Maybe we'd better leave."

"Y... Yeah, that might be for the best."

Kairi took Riku by the hand and led him through the crowd until they were free from the intoxicating atmosphere of the club. She offered to drive Riku home in his car since his vision was likely less than ideal. He accepted and requested to be taken home while he gave her directions along the way. Once they arrived, Kairi helped Riku into his house. He lived in a very fancy three-story home, leading Kairi to believe he came from a wealthy family. The house itself was big enough to be considered a mansion. Riku invited her inside and she reluctantly accepted.

Once inside, a man with platinum blond hair wearing a white button-down with the sleeves rolled up, a necktie, and black slacks greeted them at the door in the matter of seconds. "Welcome back, Master Ri—goodness, what happened?" He spoke in a British accent.

"Don't worry, Lux. Just got into a bit of an accident," Riku said sheepishly as Kairi let go of his arm. "No big deal."

Luxord sighed. "And you wonder why your mother wanted you to join them. Wherever you go by yourself, trouble is certain to follow."

"What can I say? I live life on the edge," Riku said jokingly.

Luxord groaned. "Whatever am I going to do with you, Master Riku. This way, please."

Luxord pointed Riku and Kairi towards the kitchen and requested they take a seat at the island counter while he went to go search for an ice pack. It was a very nice kitchen with marble floors, polished walls, and bright lighting. They even had some kind of personalized juice bar behind the counter. Luxord returned after a few minutes with an ice pack in his possession.

Kairi took it from Luxord and demanded Riku remove the hand he was using to cover his black eye.

"Hold still, okay? This might sting," she warned. She placed the ice pack over his eye gently. Riku winced at first but settled into a relieved sigh. He smiled at her.

"Thanks, Kairi. Not just for this but for standing up for me back there. It means a lot."

She returned the smile. "You're welcome."

Luxord looked between the two of them with a sly grin before clearing his throat to remind the two of his existence. "Master Riku, are you not inclined to introduce me to your lovely friend?"

"Oh, right," Riku said. "Lux, this is the date I was telling you about. Kairi, this is my personal slave."

"How appropriate," Luxord said sarcastically. He lent a hand to Kairi. "A pleasure to meet you, Miss Kairi."

"Same here!" she chirped.

"His name is Luxord but I call him Lux," Riku said.

Luxord leaned towards Kairi with a hand to his side of his lips as if he were telling a secret though he was intentionally loud enough for Riku to hear. "For the record, it's pronounced _luke-zord._ But good luck convincing this one of anything."

Riku scoffed. "Yeah, if you wanna pronounce it the stupid way."

Luxord rolled his eyes but judging by the lopsided grin on his face, he didn't seem to be as uptight as he pretended to be. "Anything I can do for you and Miss Kairi, Master Riku?"

Riku thought about it for a second before an idea came to mind. "Two smoothies, please. A kale and banana smoothie for me and a pineapple-mango for Kairi."

"At your service." It didn't take long for Luxord to fix Riku's request and handed the drinks to them. Kairi thanked Luxord as she was handed hers and he bowed respectfully.

"Guess I ended up treating you to that smoothie, after all," Riku said with a grin.

"But is it really your treat if it's free?" Kairi asked slyly.

"Is it really free when we had to buy the ingredients in the first place?"

"Did you buy these or did your parents?"

"Damn, you got me," Riku relented.

Kairi laughed before taking an enthusiastic sip. "Mmm! This is really good! Thank you so much, Luxord."

"Please, madam. Call me Lux." Luxord winked.

Kairi giggled. "Will do." After a few moments of small talk, Luxord left to give them some space. "He's handsome," Kairi noted. "Pretty young-looking for a butler, isn't he?"

"Ah, the guy's an old fart. He just aged well and he's got that DILF thing going on."

"You said it, not me," Kairi giggled. "So, where are your parents?"

"They're on a vacation to Agrabah. I think they'll be home on Sunday."

"I find it a little hard to believe your parents would leave the house to you and your butler while worlds away."

Riku chuckled. "Then you should meet my parents sometime."

Kairi paused for a moment when she realized, aside from Luxord, she was alone in a large house with a boy. Her father would pop a blood vessel if he knew. She sent him a warning look. "If you try anything funny—"

"I-I wasn't gonna!" Riku waved his free hand vehemently, the other covering his injured eye. "I wasn't even thinking about any of that. I promise. Maybe _you're_ the one with their head in the gutter."

"Am not!" She punched him on the shoulder playfully. Kairi looked over the interior decor of their house. "This is a really nice place. What exactly do your parents do that would let them afford something like this?"

"My dad works as a specialist at a weapons manufacturing company. He's pretty much responsible for creating all kinds of crazy stuff for certain military divisions. Keyblades, swords, chakrams, you name it. My mom is the owner and CEO of a modeling agency."

"Well, no wonder! I never knew you were born with a silver spoon."

"Guilty." He shrugged. "It has its ups and downs. All those 'fangirls' of mine aren't always fawning over me just 'cause I'm a sexy guy. Maybe eighty-five percent of the time," he added cheekily.

Kairi rolled her eyes but smiled. "Still modest as ever."

"The other fifteen percent are girls who want to get their foot in the door for their careers and use me as a way of getting on good terms with my family by kissing the ground my parents walk on. As if that'll be their free ticket to getting signed to Mom's agency. You've probably noticed, but it's all about the glitz and glamour in Destiny Islands so there's tons of people trying to push their careers."

Kairi found herself looking at the ceiling as she mentally recounted the events that transpired at the club earlier. "So, that whole thing with Rikku was—"

"Yup." Riku nodded, sensing where she was going. "I overheard her on the phone with one of her friends about a week ago talking about how she'll do whatever it takes to be a Fleuret model. Turns out, she wants to be on equal footing with Yuna Toriyama, even though they're really close friends."

"The teen pop star sensation?" Kairi asked incredulously. "Rikku is friends with her?"

"Yeah, I know her too. We all go to Estheim High, after all."

"What?!" Kairi squealed. "Shut up! No way, no way, no way!"

"It's true," Riku said. "She went to Estheim High even before she got famous but she didn't want to transition into homeschooling like most child stars. I guess Rikku wanted what she had and saw her as some sort of rival she had to live up to. So, she was just using me to get to where she wanted to be. I'm not sure if she was ever interested in me for me. After that, I just cut her off." Riku leaned against the counter. "It's not like I want to be rude but it's tiring. It gets to the point where you really don't know if someone likes you for who you are, for your looks, for your background, for your money... so I just didn't want to deal with it."

Kairi furrowed her brows. Rikku seemed like such a nice girl, too. Maybe she wasn't really a bad person, just self-centered. Still, Kairi couldn't help but shake her head in disapproval. "That's terrible."

Riku seemed indifferent. "I'm kinda used to it."

"Still, that's awful to just toy with someone's feelings. That's no way to have a relationship or to live your life. A relationship should be more genuine than that."

"Well, we can all dream," Riku said half-jokingly. "If it makes you feel any better, I wasn't too surprised. Almost every conversation we had, she'd find a way to rope in the topic of my mother's business somehow and it got pretty annoying fast. So, I already had a hunch."

Kairi eyed him sympathetically. "I'm sorry I didn't let you explain yourself earlier."

Riku waved her apology off. "Forget about it. At face value, it looked pretty bad so I can't say I blame you."

He gave her a smile and she smiled back. To combat the slightly awkward silence that followed, they both took sips out of their smoothies while making an aversion to eye contact. Riku decided to break the ice.

"Don't take that as me trying to get pity points. It's not like I didn't use to my own advantage. I mean, there's so many girls that I've—"

She gave him a devilish grin. Riku recognized that glint in her eyes: it was a trap. If he said anything incriminating to make himself look like a manwhore, she would use it against him and make fun of him for it. Riku cleared his throat.

"—I mean, not _that_ many. Just every once in a while."

"Mmm hmm," Kairi hummed, unconvinced. "Be honest with me, how many girlfriends have you had?"

Riku scratched the back of his head. "That's... kind of a bloated question. To be perfectly honest, in terms of relationships I was really serious about, there's only been two girls. One of them I never even got the chance to tie the knot with. The other is ancient history."

"Wow. So you _do_ have the capacity to want something real and genuine? Color me impressed!"

Riku rolled his eyes. "I'm not a complete sex addict like you seem to think I am."

"Then allow me to change the question," Kairi offered. "How many girls have you been with?"

"Isn't that the same question?"

Kairi laughed somewhat sinisterly. "Don't be dense, Riku. You know what I mean. How many have you gotten to know on an... _intimate_ level."

Riku swallowed a lump down his throat. Another trap. "Kind of a personal question, isn't it? It's not as many as you'd think. For the record, I'm a lot better now than I used to be."

"But the number is still too much that I can't get specifics, huh?"

Riku wasn't comfortable with how close she was getting. He couldn't tell if she was being flirtatious or teasing or passive aggressive. "Anyone ever to tell you you're awfully nosy?"

Kairi cracked a grin, thinking back to her numerous bouts of bickering with her sister. "Yeah, once or twice. Fine, fine. I'll leave you alone. It's just fun watching you squirm."

Riku found himself amused as well. "You're a dangerous one, that's for sure."

He began sipping out of his smoothie.

"So... why me?" Kairi asked.

Riku raised an eyebrow before parting his lips from his straw. "What do you mean?"

"You've got all these girls fawning over you like you're some god from Olympus yet you seem so intent on asking me out. Why is that?"

Riku didn't take long to come up with his answer. "I told you before. It gets to the point where you don't know how sincere anyone is or how they really feel about you. Having someone like you who doesn't treat me special for shallow reasons is refreshing."

Riku finished his drink and tossed the empty cup into the sink.

"It reminds me of this girl I used to like," he continued. "She's actually related to Sora and Xion. She was kind of uptight and clumsy, but she was really nice and always on top of me. She didn't think much of me other than just being a friend of her cousins." Riku chuckled at the memories. "I thought it was annoying at first but eventually I realized those are the girls I find the most captivating. You kind of remind me of her. I figure, with people like you, maybe it's a chance at finding someone who can appreciate me—the _real_ me."

"I think that's silly," Kairi admonished. "You seem to think just because people view you in this way, you're supposed to meet the expectations of this image they have for you. But you don't. You shouldn't need someone, whether it's me or this girl you speak of, treating you like a regular human being to realize it's okay to be the _real_ you. No matter what, you should always be you."

Riku was shocked by the response but he settled into a soft smile. "There you go again."

"What?"

Riku shook his head, despite being amused. "Nothing, it's just... me realizing why I fell for you."

That got Kairi to blush. It was a sudden declaration, and it was stated so nonchalantly, but the difference was that it felt sincere. Kairi quickly composed herself before Riku could notice. "Alright, Riku. I have a challenge for you!"

Riku raised a brow. "What kind of challenge?"

"You said that the reason why you asked me out was because you wanted to show me that I had the wrong impression of you. Well, prove it!" Kairi took his confused stare and lack of a response as a sign to elaborate. "Come on! There's got to be more to you than just being a bundle of cliche pick up lines, right?"

Riku winced at the jab. "That one was below the belt."

Kairi giggled. "Soooo. I wanna get to know you, Riku. Show me the _real_ you."

"I... thought I was doing that already?"

"Nope!" Kairi chirped. "You've _said_ it but you haven't _shown_ it. There's gotta be something, right? A dark secret? A tragic backstory? A special someone? A dream? Anything?"

"Well, there's one thing." Riku did have a dream but it wasn't one he often shared. The more he thought of it, the only ones who knew of his dreams were a few people in his everyday circle, like Sora, Xion, and Roxas. It made sense since he knew them longer than anyone else but relaying that onto someone else felt strange. The last thing he needed was for Kairi to laugh at him. He scratched the back of his hair and for the first time, Kairi thought he looked like a nervous little boy. "Nevermind."

"Aww, come on!" Kairi whined. "You can't just do that! Now I'm more interested!"

"I dunno..."

"Why not?"

"You'll laugh."

He was worried about that? Suddenly, he didn't seem as overconfident. Kairi found it refreshing to see him act so skittish. "I won't!"

"You say that now..."

"Don't hold back on me, Riku! Share your feelings! Share! Share! Share!"

"I haven't even said anything about it and I already regret it." Riku groaned.

"Riku," she said as if she were chastising him. "I'm trying to help you. How are you ever going to learn how to be more authentic if you don't start opening up? You have to at some point. What are you so afraid of? Don't you trust me?"

"What is this, an intervention?" he asked. The more he looked at that adorable pout of hers, the less he could resist. He sighed. "Fine. Just... don't make fun of me, okay?"

Kairi put a hand to her chest. "Scout's honor!"

Begrudgingly, Riku led Kairi through his rather ostentatious abode. Along the way, Kairi noticed various qualities of their household. The furniture looked expensive. The rooms were nice and big. The long hallways were full of framed paintings and statues. While Kairi thought her home with her sister and father was certainly nice, Riku's place put it to shame.

He eventually led her to a remarkably normal-looking door. Kairi thought it was his room at first and she wasn't comfortable with the idea until Riku insisted it wasn't the room where he slept at night and there were no bedrooms inside. Kairi accepted his response and entered. When she did, her jaw dropped.

Riku stood in the middle of the room and presented the space around him. "Welp, tada. This is me."

The room was a bit bigger than she was expecting and for good reason. It was dimly lit in a soft blue. On the walls were with posters of diagrams of outer space, not to mention a dorky poster of Zack Fair hung on one of the walls. Model gummi ships lined the shelves as well as books about Keyblades, Keyblade Masters, the previous guardians of light, and astrophysics. The most notable piece was the big computer screen in the middle of the room alongside a giant table with a holographic map of outer space.

"Wow," Kairi gasped.

"You asked me if I had a dream," Riku said, breaking her from her reverie. "I guess you could say I'm an astronomy and Keyblade enthusiast. I want to get off this island someday and see what's out there. I've always found the outer worlds fascinating. I want to learn more about them and understand them so maybe someday I can protect it."

Kairi explored his room. She took out a book from one of his shelves. There had to be dozens of them. She flipped through the pages and noticed all the scribbles Riku had drawn in them over the years, specifying certain things he wanted to remember and key elements. He even had journals full of notes.

"So, you want to be an astronomer?" Kairi asked.

Riku shook his head. "Sort of, but not really."

He went into a nearby door, Kairi presumed to be a closet of some sorts, and out from it Riku revealed a Keyblade. The sharp blade was red, blue, and purple, with a dark angelic wing acting as one of its teeth.

"You have a Keyblade?" Kairi asked incredulously.

"Yup. I used to call it Soul Eater but I that was during my emo phase and now I think it's kinda edgy, so I changed it to Way to the Dawn," Riku added embarrassedly. "My dad had it personally made for me."

Riku offered the blade and Kairi touched the rugged texture. "Wow, that's pretty cool! You're the second person I know who has a Keyblade."

"Who's the first?"

"My Aunt Claire," Kairi answered. "She taught me some things. Don't get me wrong, as pretty as these are, I am _not_ interested in training to wield one."

"I don't blame you. It's not for everybody," Riku admitted. "But I've been dreaming about this ever since I was a kid. I looked up to the guardians of light and wanted to be like them someday. Zack was my hero." He looked at his poster of Zack for a brief instant. "It just so happens that being a guardian also coincides with traveling the galaxy." He smiled abashedly. "Surprised?"

"A little," Kairi admitted. "It's just, you don't look the part. I know you like to spar with Sora but I never put two and two together. I was expecting you to aspire to be a male model or something. Especially considering what your mom does."

"I get that a lot," Riku chuckled. "This has always been my calling. I guess you could say my dream is become a Keyblade Master and, if I'm lucky, become a guardian."

"A guardian?" Kairi gasped. "That's a high honor."

"I know and thanks to a certain someone, I might have a shot."

"This is a really impressive room," Kairi thought aloud. It also seemed a bit over the top. The rest of the mansion looked like a standard living space but this shift felt like she entered into the lair of a secret agent in a sci-fi movie. But it was impressive, nonetheless.

"I appreciate that," Riku said. "The room was a gift from my parents on my fifteenth birthday. They knew how much I loved this kind of stuff so they sent me to spend time with some family for a few weeks and had this built for me to have an entire space where I can research and train."

"That's amazing!" Kairi said. She suddenly found the pancakes with a syrup smiley face her father made for her fifteenth birthday underwhelming. "Your parents sound really cool."

"They are, aren't they?"

"I have to admit, I wasn't expecting this from you," Kairi said as she paced around the room with her arms tied behind her back.

"I'm a man full of surprises," Riku said slyly.

"So, you're rich and you could do pretty much anything you ever wanted," Kairi stated matter-of-factly. "Why be a Keyblade Master?"

Riku thought it over for a moment but he found that every answer he came across was unsatisfactory. "I'm not sure. I guess I've just always wanted to protect the things that matter."

For the first time, Kairi found Riku admirable. She was proud of her good judgment. She might have been a little hard on him but she knew there had to be more to him. She was glad she was right. "That's very commendable of you."

When Riku put his Keyblade back to where it belonged, Kairi wandered the room some more until she found a framed picture of Sora and Riku on one of his stands. It looked to be some sort of selfie while they were visiting Disney Town. Sora had Mickey ears on and he seemed to be forcing a begrudging Riku to take a picture with him, wearing Mickey ears of his own. Kairi giggled.

"You two are so cute," she said.

Riku looked over to see what she was looking at and scoffed, despite his smile. "That _is_ supposed to be a compliment, right?" The picture filled him with a sense of nostalgia.

"You guys are really close, huh?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, that goofy kid is like the little brother I never had," Riku said. "When we were little, we used to go on all kinds of adventures. And by adventures, I mean not very exciting tales of that goofball swearing up and down he heard nonexistent monsters in caves and dragging me along with him with a sword."

Kairi giggled, picturing a young Sora dragging Riku all over the place with a toy sword in hand.

"Sora always found a way to make something exciting," Riku continued wistfully. "Me and Xion would get dragged into whatever mess he got us in. I used to act like I was too cool for it at the time but, deep down, I knew I was having fun."

She grinned at him. "I can tell you both mean a lot to each other. Even if you don't always say it out loud."

"Honestly, I kind of admire him," Riku admitted. "He goes with the flow and things work out in the end. When Sora tells you everything will be okay, you believe him. The guy wears his heart on his sleeve, something always wished I could do. Don't tell him I said that."

"No, I think that's sweet," Kairi assured.

"Gross," Riku joked. "You know, there was a time when I was a real jerk to Sora."

Kairi tilted her head curiously. "Really?"

"Let's just say he got chosen for something really special. I envied him because I wished it it were me. I resented him for a while. We fought all the time until this one day where I really hurt him. And you know what that idiot did? He forgave me. Even though I was a complete tool." He sighed. "Sometimes, I feel like I don't deserve that kid."

"Sora and Riku sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I—"

"Okay, okay, knock it off," Riku chuckled.

"In all seriousness, have you ever thought of telling him that?"

"Tell him what?" Riku asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"How much he means to you."

"Why would I do that?"

"Oh, yeah. I forgot. Men don't have feelings, right?"

"Exactly," Riku agreed half-jokingly. Kairi rolled her eyes. "Besides, he'd probably laugh at me."

"Sora doesn't seem like that kind of person. I think you should tell him. He thinks the world of you, Riku. I think it'd be nice if he knew you admired him, too."

Riku looked uncertain. He wasn't sure if he would take Kairi up on her advice but he smiled politely regardless. "Is it okay if I show you something?"

She gave a bright smile and a nod. "Of course."

Riku led her to two locked glass doors that led to a small balcony. It presented a beautiful view of the sky, stars glittering brightly under a midnight backdrop, presumably being thousands of other worlds. Kairi was mesmerized. In front of the rails protecting them from the ground below was a telescope.

"Wanna check it out?" Riku asked, referring to the telescope.

Kairi accepted the offer and looked inside. Riku began showing her a bunch of constellations.

"That right there is Cactuar," Riku pointed out, directing her towards the constellation. "Right there is Orthros."

"Orthros looks kinda creepy," Kairi observed.

"Yeah, it kinda freaks me out too."

"Wow, there's so many constellations!" Kairi said after Riku showed her a few more. When Riku sat on the surface of the balcony to stargaze, Kairi sat next to him to admire the sky and hugged her legs.

"Isn't it amazing?" Riku said. "All those stars representing a world. It makes you realize this world is just a small fragment of something much greater. Maybe I could have ended up somewhere else entirely. I need to know."

"I guess when you put it that way, I do feel kinda small."

"Roxas was the one that got me into astronomy. There's actually these smaller patterns of stars within a constellation called asterisms. I still haven't located them all yet."

Riku continued to blabber on about trivia about outer space and Kairi listened, adding her own two cents when the moment seemed appropriate. She asked questions to get him to talk more about his passion. She found it endlessly amusing how his eyes would light up like a child rambling to their parent without any self-awareness. It was endearing. Xion was right. He really was a dork.

"So, the real you is actually a gigantic nerd," Kairi said, interrupting Riku mid-ramble.

Riku paused, realizing how much he was talking and became flustered. He cleared his throat and tried his best to wear a look of indifference. "No, I just—uh, you know. I heard some stuff in class and... yeah."

"Riku," Kairi said warningly.

He sighed. "Okay, fine. I guess I am. Sorry if I was boring you."

Kairi quickly put a hand over his, much to his surprise, and shook her head. "I didn't say that," she assured. "I wasn't bored in the slightest. I feel like I've learned a lot about you tonight. You light up like a kid in a candy store when you talk about passions." She giggled. "It's kinda cute."

Riku's lips were parted momentarily before he settled into a smile. "Well, I don't think cute coincides with the irresistable sexy beast image I usually go for but... coming from you? I can live with that."

Kairi snickered. "Gotta start from somewhere, right?"

"Right," Riku said, though it came off more nervous than he expected. It had been a long time since someone got him so flustered. He tried to maintain his cool. "Thanks for hearing me out. It's not everyday I get someone to talk to about this kind of stuff other than Sora or Xion. I guess that's why I tend to not bring this side of myself up."

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about," Kairi assured. "I like this side of you a lot. And if you ever need someone to nerd out with, I'm your gal."

Riku chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind."

Without either noticing, their proximity lessened as time went on. Eventually, Kairi felt safe enough to rest her head against his shoulders when she began to get tired. It caught Riku off-guard at first but it gave him a sense of relief. It seemed like she was finally warming up to him.

The two spent the next hour and a half engaging in small talk while they gazed at the stars.

* * *

It wasn't a date, she repeatedly told herself. It was just Naminé alone in an otherwise empty house with a boy in her room eating ramen noodles with her on a Friday evening.

But it was most certainly not a date.

It couldn't have been, right? Dates were meant to be fun outings. This was just two acquaintances hanging out because they both had nothing better to do. She needed to relax and take some deep breaths.

At first, she planned on suggesting they eat in the dining room but with the fear of her father busting in unexpectedly looming in the back of her mind, she allowed him in her room as long as he promised not to touch anything. Naminé tried to keep her attention directed towards her sketchbook to make it appear as if she were busy at work with something important when she was really scribbling nonsense to minimize opportunities for eye contact. It wasn't anything personal against Roxas. In fact, she found his piercing blue eyes somewhat fascinating—the way they examined her artwork with genuine intrigue, the way his gaze seemed easygoing and carefree yet focused when something caught his attention. She just didn't like eye contact in general.

Their conversation was initially one-sided. Roxas talked about how his day went, leaving Naminé's role to merely respond with nods and short sentences. She didn't mind much. In fact, she took it as him doing her a favor. It's not like she knew where to begin. Roxas knew this so he took the lead and the pressure away from her, steering the conversation wherever he pleased and used her as a receptive soundboard for the time being. Any logical reason for Roxas to come there of all places escaped her. Was that all she was in the end? A soundboard he consoled to out of convenience?

She glanced up from her sketchpad momentarily to see Roxas slurping noodles with his chopsticks. The momentum of his slurping caused one of the noodles to slap him in the eye and he winced from the sudden blow. The gag made Naminé snicker.

"You might want to slow down a bit," Naminé suggested with a grin.

Her laugh made him forget about whatever pain he was in and the sound of her soft laughter seemed to find a way to make him feel embarrassed. Naminé wanted to say more but the words wouldn't come. Roxas's slurping filled the silence once again. She watched him curiously and wrestled with thoughts of getting whatever she had to say off her chest. The fear of him perceiving her words in a manner she didn't intend held her back.

Unfortunately for her, Roxas caught her staring. "Something on your mind?" he asked.

When their eyes met, Naminé's cheeks rose in temperature and she quickly looked down at her sketchbook. How could she let him catch her ogling? Stupid, stupid, stupid. "N-Nothing."

Roxas found her timid demeanor amusing. It was like she was tip-toeing over broken glass 24/7. He did his best to give her a harmless smile which succeeded in making her feel at ease. She felt solace in the feeling of not being judged. "You can say what's on your mind around me. I don't bite—at least, I try not to."

As Roxas began finishing off the last of his noodles, Naminé fiddled with her pencil. "Roxas, don't take this the wrong way, but... why did you come here?"

Roxas stopped mid-slurp and stared at her. He sucked in the rest and gulped it down. "Why do you ask? Did you want me to leave?"

"N-No, not necessarily," she quickly assured. "It's just a little confusing. I'm sure you have friends who are much more fun and interesting than me, don't you?"

"Not true. I think you're very interesting," Roxas stated casually.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Naminé couldn't comprehend his logic. All she ever did was laze around the house all day. "Am I some kind of pet project to you or something?"

"What?" Roxas was offended at the suggestion. "Of course not."

"T-Then I'm just some frail girl you could pity on, is that it?"

Roxas furrowed his brows but found it within himself to compose his patience. He had to remember who he was talking to. "Where is this coming from?"

"It's just," she sighed, "I-I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude... and it's not that I don't like having you around. I just don't get why you would go through so much trouble for me or why you would go out of your way all the time. So, if you want something from me, just let me know now."

"You've got it all wrong," Roxas said as he put his hand over hers with conviction. "All I want from you is to be yourself."

It was a sudden gesture Naminé wasn't expecting and the sight of their physical contact made her cheeks as red as a rose. Roxas himself performed the action without thinking and after realizing what he was doing, he retracted his hand with an embarrassed grin and chuckle.

Roxas cleared his throat. "Uh, anyway, I'm serious. I don't want anything from you. I thought you might need someone to talk to. I've met shy people before but not to the point where they couldn't say a word to me the first time I met them. You know I thought you were possibly deaf when we first met, right?"

"Sorry," she apologized sheepishly. "That night was really overwhelming for me. That happens when I get super nervous."

"Yeah, I figured. What were you so nervous about?"

"Well, I had just been humiliated in front of a dozen people for starters," Naminé said. "A-And then you show up out of nowhere and—I just didn't know what to say. My hands got all clammy and... and my heart went crazy. It was like I was out of breath."

"You're a weird one, all right."

Naminé pouted. It wasn't the response she was expecting. Was he nice or was he a jerk with boyish charm? She wished he would pick one. "That's not very nice."

"Take it as a compliment. Weird definitely qualifies as interesting," he said with a playful wink.

Naminé scoffed. "If anyone here is weird, it's you. Need I remind you that—"

"I know, I know! Please don't bring that up again," he protested. "How about we agree that we're both weird and call it a draw?"

Naminé giggled before she returned to scribbling on her sketchbook. "I guess that's fair."

When Naminé directed her focus to her sketchbook, Roxas ended up noticing it as well. "You're always drawing."

"Huh?" Naminé lifted her head and tucked some hair behind her ear. "Oh, uh, yeah. It's one of my favorite things to do... if you couldn't already tell," she added bashfully.

Roxas chuckled. "How did you get into it?"

Naminé was caught by surprise. It shouldn't have been surprising considering the way he studied her artwork but it was going to take a while to get used to it. "Oh, um... I guess it's just something that's always been a part of my life. I owe a lot of it to my mother."

Roxas felt his heart skip a beat for a moment. He hadn't forgotten about the horrific story Kairi told him but he wasn't sure if Naminé would be okay with him knowing as well. "Oh yeah?"

Naminé nodded solemnly. "She was an art lover and used to draw and paint for fun. Sometimes, when we'd go on family outings, Mom would sit back by herself under the shade of a tree and paint the scenery. Instead of playing tag or hair dresser with our cousins, I'd just sit next to her and observe what she was doing."

"Was she any good?"

"She was," Naminé said with an earnest smile. "It's not like she was a Picasso or anything, but she taught me a lot of the basics. My mom was more into singing than painting but she appreciated all art and she taught me the importance of it. About how its purpose is to connect the material and the spiritual. To give something special to people, to create something that takes someone into another world. It's a beautiful thing." Naminé realized she almost started rambling and stopped herself before she could. "S-Sorry, it probably sounds silly."

"No, I don't think so at all," Roxas assured. It looked like she wanted to talk about it even more judging by the sparkle in her eye while she explained her passion. "Actually, I thought it sounds really interesting. I've never looked at it that way before. You seem really passionate about art."

Naminé adjusted her glasses. "Y-Yeah, that might be an understatement."

"Your mom also seems like she is a pretty intuitive person."

While Roxas made a conscious decision to not let on that Kairi already told him about their mother's death, Naminé made a conscious decision to not correct the word "is" with "was."

"Yes," she said solemnly. Naminé snickered as she thought back some of her older memories and it brought a tiny smile to her face. "Her head was always in the clouds. I guess I got it from her."

Roxas wanted to ask more about what her mother was like but considering the fact Naminé didn't correct him earlier, he figured she might not want to tread down that depressing territory of conversation, which was understandable. He liked to mess with her for fun but he wasn't going to pressure her into revealing something traumatic if she didn't want to. He decided to save his questions for another time where it felt more important and changed the subject.

"What have you been doodling this whole time anyway?"

Naminé held her sketchbook close to her chest. "Oh, um. It's nothing."

Roxas shook his head. "There you go again."

"Huh?"

"You're being all secretive over something I bet isn't a big deal. Opening up to someone doesn't mean you have to be vulnerable, you know?"

"I would think there's a difference between being open and being an open book," she countered. "Whether or not it's a big deal isn't always the point. Sometimes it's something personal I'd like to keep to myself. You seem to think everything to do with myself is your business."

"It is if I brought you food when you were starving. Don't you think the least you could do is show me your latest masterpiece?"

"What? That's not how that works! I didn't ask you to bring me food. And I was _not_ starving." As if protesting, her stomach grumbled rather loudly. She picked up her half-eaten cup of ramen and continued finishing it before noticing Roxas smirking at her as if he won some debate. "T-That was just... gas."

"That's why you're stuffing your face right now, huh?"

"Shut up," she said with a mouthful, making him laugh.

"Just lemme see it," he said once again.

"Why are you so persistent all the time?"

"No reason in particular. I just find messing with you endlessly entertaining."

She recoiled. "Yeah, I think you really are the weird one here."

"Everyone's a little weird but some embrace it more than others," Roxas said casually. "Maybe I'm just more free than you."

" _Orrrr_ you just have zero concept of boundaries."

"That is also a possibility, yes."

Naminé rolled her eyes. While she maintained an outward appearance of annoyance and indifference, on the inside she admitted it was fun trading banter with him.

"So, you gonna show me your drawing or what?"

"What."

"Oh, you're so clever.".

"I see no reason why I should. Do you remember what happened the last time I had you looking at something I didn't want you to see?"

"Hm. Nope. Not coming to mind whatsoever."

"Then allow me to remind that—"

"Oh my god! What the heck is that?!" Roxas pointed outside her window.

Naminé turned around frantically. "What? What?!"

He snatched the sketchbook while she was distracted. When she turned back around and found herself empty handed, she gawked at him with her jaw dropped. She couldn't believe he pulled the same trick on her she did to him last time. Roxas feigned innocence with a shrug.

"Sorry, guess you missed it."

Naminé crossed her arms but made no attempt at getting her sketchbook back. She didn't want a repeat of last time and it really wasn't that big of a deal to her anyway. "You're insufferable."

He gave a cocky grin. "I'm touched, truly."

"What did we say about touching things in my room without permission?"

"I think we said we'll buy you some mint chocolate chip ice cream to make up for it."

Naminé gave a tiny smile. "Close enough. I'll hold you to that." Mocchi entered the room and hopped into her owner's lap. Naminé responded by gently grazing her fingers against her fur. "Anyways, it's not like it's anything special. I was just scribbling because I can't think of anything to draw right now. I've been having artist's block for weeks."

"Really?" Roxas studied the picture as if he were assessing a painting in a museum. "That's weird. To me it looks like you were sketching the moon against a night sky."

"Huh? Are you messing with me again?"

"No, I'm serious. Look." Roxas turned the sketch around and began pointing at it. "This circle here looks like the moon. These little dots right here, these look like they could've been stars if you just drew a few more. You made this entire section black which could totally be the night sky. I just thought you hadn't finished the picture yet."

Naminé began to notice what Roxas saw and was shocked. She genuinely wasn't trying to draw anything in specific. In her mind, it was random scribbles, dots, and the big circle that qualified as the moon was pure coincidence. "Oh yeah, I guess I see what you mean."

"Wow, you didn't even know? You're so good you don't even have to try."

Naminé became flustered but she kept an flattered smile. "It was just a coincidence, really."

"It's a pretty impressive coincidence." Roxas looked at the sketchbook for a moment before his eyes brightened with enthusiasm. "Hey, I just got a crazy idea."

Naminé looked skeptical. "If it's an idea of yours, then I'm worried."

"I promise this one is on the innocent side," he said. "You should teach me how to draw."

Naminé blinked. "Come again?"

"Yeah, give me some lessons! I bet you know all the tips and tricks, huh? You could probably turn me into an amazing artist."

"Hey, hey! Slow down!" She waved her hands frantically. "I-I've never taught anyone before... I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"It can be baby steps, then." He looked at the art posted around her room. "You make art look and sound interesting. Like it's something spiritual. So, I want you to teach me, if that's not asking too much."

Naminé twiddled with her thumbs and shifted her shoulders. "You... you really wanna learn?"

Roxas nodded and gave her a warm smile. "If you'd let me."

Naminé thought it over for a bit. "Okay, I'll try. B-But don't expect me to make you amazing or anything."

Roxas chuckled. "I was joking about that. It should be fun."

In truth, while Roxas did genuinely find her passion for arts and her mother intriguing, his request was mostly for Naminé's sake. When she spoke of her passions earlier, it occurred to him that she probably didn't have anyone to listen to her unconditionally. That might have been why she stopped herself and why she's hesitant on being open; she probably thought if she shared, she would end up being bothersome. While he could tell Kairi loved and cared about her sister a lot, he could see her not being patient enough to take an interest in her interests or attempt to understand Naminé's side of things. In her mind, the logical solution was to force Naminé out of her comfort zone and hope for the best. But maybe Naminé needed a different approach. Maybe if she taught him how to draw, not only could he come to learn more about her as an individual but she'd have an avenue to talk about what she likes. Then that would lead to her being more comfortable with sharing that side of herself to others as well.

It was worth a shot.

"I-I guess, um, you should give me your number, then?" Naminé asked timidly. Roxas went wide eyed. If anything, he figured he would be the one to ask for her number first. "D-Don't get the wrong idea! I just think it would be beneficial in the long run. You could stop with these surprise visits and call me like a normal human being."

Roxas grinned. "A likely story. I didn't know you were into me like _that,_ Nam."

"Oh, quiet you."

After they exchanged numbers, Roxas noticed the time and figured he better get out of there sooner rather than later. Tifa wanted him to help with preparations for the dinner party in the morning.

"Guess I'd better get a move on," Roxas said as he began gathering his things and throwing away his leftover food. "Don't want your dad getting the wrong idea, right?"

Naminé nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you'd better leave before he finds you in here with me... for your sake."

"The way you said that got me a little scared."

"Good. You should be." Naminé led Roxas downstairs. She looked out of the window blinds to see if the coast was clear before letting him out. "You better call me the next time you come over. No more surprise visits, okay?"

Roxas turned to face her halfway. "You _really_ wanted my digits, didn't you?"

Naminé rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself."

He grinned. "See you around?"

She smiled back. "We'll see."

_**Memories of Foundation** _


	9. Memories of Bonding

Roxas,

The best thing about being with you is that we were, and still are, best friends before anything else. It's a magical thing to be able to say with the utmost confidence that the person you love is also your best friend. Not just someone convenient for kisses and valentine's day cards with chocolate but someone you genuinely enjoy being around each and every day. I feel like that's something not even some married couples can say.

I'm grateful we were able to accomplish that. I think it's important to establish a strong friendship. I could totally be wrong but maybe a lot of relationships don't work because lust and physical attraction obstruct a true connection. I think it's easy to get lost in the idea of intimacy to the point where we can subconsciously view a person as something along the lines of a convenient object to fulfill our own desires rather than a person in need of the same affection we require for ourselves.

I don't think I'm innocent in that regard either. The more I think about it, I think that was the case with me and Tidus. I think he was looking for someone to get intimate with while I wanted someone to fill the void of my loneliness and depression. That relationship never would have worked. What happened between us is water under the bridge but I do think Tidus did care about me at least. Genuinely. I think I still care about him.

I don't know why I brought this up. It was just something I was thinking about. You know how my brain likes to ramble on and on. Writing about this made me realize why I think we work so well together. We didn't really want anything from each other when we first met. We simply crossed paths by accident and one thing led to another. It all happened so fast. But I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I guess we got lucky.

* * *

"Two sea-salt ice creams, please."

The clerk behind the counter of Roxas and Xion's favorite ice cream parlor handed Xion her order. She expected Roxas to arrive in about five minutes like he usually did. He was rarely late for an ice cream outing, especially when it came to his favorite flavor. She figured she would buy his share ahead of time. This wasn't the first time she thought to do this.

With two ice cream sticks in hand, Xion exited the parlor. She took in a breath of the ocean scent and wandered around the tropical locale. Smiling faces passed by, couples held hands, and bodies laid themselves out to soak in the rays of the sun. A typical Destiny Islands afternoon.

Xion walked along the boardwalk until she found an empty table beneath the shade of an umbrella. She wasted no time taking a bite out of her delicious sea-salt ice cream. Since Axel was out of town, Xion figured it was a good opportunity to get some more alone time with Roxas. She considered taking Riku's advice to heart and at long last tell the big doofus how she felt about him and where she wanted to take their relationship. She wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to tread down that path, at least not today. Regardless, hanging out with him was always a good time. Just having him around was good enough.

Her phone beeped in her pocket, signaling an incoming call. When she realized it was Roxas, she was quick to answer.

"Hey, pretty lady! How's my number one gal?"

Despite her imminent blush, Xion frowned. He just _had_ to say stupid stuff like that all the time, didn't he? "You're such a tease. How about you stop being a flirt until you decide to get a little bolder with your claims?" She made it come off as a joke but Roxas was oblivious to the fact she was being half-serious.

"What if I'm scared of rejection?"

"A wise woman once said if you like it, then you should've put a ring on it. So, make a move. Pussy."

"Ouch! Way to destroy a guy's ego." Roxas laughed. "I think Axel has been rubbing off on us way too much."

"I know, right? It's a little disturbing." Xion cringed. "So, what's up?"

"I was wondering if we could rain check that ice cream today."

"Rain check?" Xion glanced at the wrapped ice cream bar she already bought for Roxas. Well, there went fifty munny down the drain. "Um, sure. But how come?"

"I planned on visiting a friend today but I forgot to tell you until the last minute. Sorry about that."

Xion felt a pang in her chest. Just when she was looking forward to spending some time with him. But the universe was rarely in her favor when it came to this boy. "Oh, no it's fine. We can always have our ice cream some other time."

"Are you mad at me?"

Xion made a immature pouty face. "...No."

"You sound like you're mad at me."

"I'm not, but would it kill you to maybe give me a heads up a few hours in advance rather than five minutes?"

"I knew it. You're mad." Xion didn't have to see him to imagine the likely apologetic and remorseful look on his face. "I'm really sorry. The thought just didn't occur to me until now."

"In other words, you forgot." Xion rolled her eyes. "It's not like it's surprising. If there were ever a professional daydreamer..."

"Sorry," Roxas apologized once again. "But hey, you wanna come with? I'm sure if I explain the situation to my friend, she wouldn't mind."

Wait a minute. The friend was another girl? Was it possible this was a girl Roxas was interested in? Interested in a way in which he wasn't with Xion, perhaps? She shook the thoughts away. She shouldn't jump to conclusions. She had seen Roxas with a crush before and he showed no signs of it in recent memory. Maybe it was platonic. She chose to believe that if only to keep a sound mind.

"Xion?" Roxas called out, pulling her from her thoughts.

"I don't want to intrude," she said in response to his previous inquiry. "It'd probably be a little awkward." Not that it wasn't already awkward, she thought.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'll just hit up Kairi. She's way more reliable than you, anyway. You're buying us ice cream next time to make up for this, got it?"

Roxas chuckled. "It's a promise. I'll see you later."

After they hung up, Xion's first instinct was to sigh. She didn't want to assume the worst. If she learned anything from Sora, it was to always look at the bright side of things. Maybe this girl he was hanging out with was nothing special. It was probably a friendly outing and she decided not to make a big deal out of it.

Besides, there was always Kairi.

She unlocked her phone and called her best girl friend. It didn't take long for the redhead to answer.

"Hey, girl!" Kairi answered with her usual enthusiasm. "Whatcha up to?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Xion admitted. She slumped across the table. "Long story short: I'm bored. Did you wanna do something today to save myself from eternal boredom?"

"Ah, I'm sorry," Kairi apologized. "I'd love to, but I already have plans. Riku invited me to see a movie with him today. It was kind of sudden because he asked me about an hour ago. I'm actually on my way to meet him right now."

"Oh." Xion did her best to shield the disappointment in her voice but she didn't think she did a very good job.

"You can still come with us if you want!"

Two pity invites in a row? Xion thought she really did hit rock bottom. "No, it's okay," Xion assured. "The last thing I want to be is a third-wheel. You two have fun on your _date,"_ she teased.

Kairi giggled. "I wouldn't call it that. I'll call you later, okay?"

After hanging up, Xion took a bitter bite out of the last of her ice cream. It looked like she would have to make the most of the day by lonesome.

She noticed the ice cream she bought for Roxas begun to melt.

* * *

Naminé cut an apple while she watched one of her favorite Saturday morning cartoons in the dining room. Mocchi walked near her leg and looked up at her owner curiously. Naminé noticed and raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"It's just weird seeing you somewhat presentable for once."

Naminé bumped her fists against her hips. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're wearing pants."

It was true. Her outfit comprised of a pair of skinny jeans, a white tee, and a loose knit cardigan sweater. It wasn't much but it was a step up from her usual camisole and pajama shorts. Naminé pouted. "Well, joke's on you. You never wear pants."

"Because you don't make me and I'd be upset if you did." Mocchi casually started giving herself a bath. "I'm guessing this has to do with the fact that Roxas is on his way over?"

Naminé rolled her eyes. "Why does every decision I make as of late suddenly have to be motivated by a boy? Maybe I felt like looking decent today."

"If that's the case, it'd be a first for you."

Naminé ate a piece of her apple and closed her eyes haughtily. "Believe whatever you want." After a while, she noticed Mocchi continued to stare at her. It was as if she were expecting something. Naminé recognized the look too well. "You are such a freeloader."

"I'll make it up to you on the day when I can stand on my own two legs and open the fridge by myself." Mocchi made a face that Naminé interpreted as pleading. "Please, Mommy?"

"Don't pull the mommy card," Naminé whined as she slumped her shoulders. "Okay, fine. Take it, you little leech."

While Naminé offered a few of her apple slices to Mocchi, her father entered the room. "Who were you just talking to?" he asked.

"O-Oh, um. No one!" Naminé covered.

Snow gave her an odd look but decided to let it go. "Well, I'm gone. Call me if you need anything. I'll be back around seven, okay?"

"Sure thing, Dad."

After growing tired of watching television, Naminé returned upstairs. If the plan was to give Roxas art lessons, it would be for the best if she got a few rough sketches out of her system beforehand. She hoped the motivation of being a good teacher would give her a spark in the right direction but she ended up staring at her sketchbook as usual.

Her mind began to wander. Where was she supposed to begin with teaching? She never really taught anyone before. The closest being when Kairi would draw and color with her when they were little. Naminé would try to give some pointers but it usually came off a little more snobbish than she intended. Kairi would always compare their final products, get frustrated at how inferior hers was to Naminé's and eventually gave up entirely. Naminé felt like she drove Kairi away from art and she felt bad about it. This felt like a second chance.

Her anxiety started to kick in. What if she messed up? What if she got all snobby again and it resulted in Roxas losing interest? It shouldn't have been a big deal, right? Maybe Roxas was just looking for an excuse to come over and mess with her. But still, if there were a chance she could make someone see the beauty and importance of art, it would—

"I'm ready for my lesson!"

The unexpected voice made Naminé scream. She turned around to find an upside down Roxas grinning at her from behind her open window. She placed a hand on her thumping chest. "D-Don't scare me like that!"

Roxas turned himself upright and crawled in while being careful not to step on her bed with his shoes; a somewhat awkward feat considering her bed was right below the window. He had a single-strap backpack slung across his shoulders.

"Sorry, I saw you sitting there and I couldn't resist."

"You are such a weirdo. Why didn't you just knock?"

"Weren't you the one who said I needed to steer clear of your father? He was walking out of the house when I came by. I had to do something."

Naminé frowned. "Okay, well... you could've texted me."

"And ruin the surprise?" Roxas asked with a mischievous smirk.

"I gave you my number to _avoid_ stupid surprises like that." Naminé rolled her eyes. "How did you get on the roof anyway?"

"Let's just say I have my ways."

Roxas took off his backpack. Naminé eyed it suspiciously. "So, how come you brought a man-purse?"

Roxas gave her a look of disgust. "It's _not_ a man-purse. It's a shoulder bag."

She snickered at his reaction. It was the first time she seemed to get under his skin. "Whatever you say. I'll be sure to remember next time."

"As long as we're in agreement." Roxas dumped out the contents of his shoulder bag to reveal a plethora of various art supplies. Naminé's bed was littered with colored pencils, sketchbooks, pencil sharpeners, and more.

Naminé didn't expect him to bring anything. She figured they would use the stuff she had, which was plenty for the both of them. Maybe he was more serious about this than she thought. "Where'd you get all of this?"

"An art supplies store near Sunspot Square. I thought I'd come prepared."

Naminé picked up one of the books with a picture of a stylized chocobo on the front. "Roxas, is this... a children's coloring book?"

Judging by her lackluster response, Roxas became red with embarrassment. "Uh, yeah. I thought it'd be good for practicing coloring in the lines or something. Did I do bad?"

Naminé giggled. "I don't think we'll be needing this today." She wouldn't vocalize it, but she thought it was cute he would bring a coloring book thinking it would be of value for a mature lesson in visual arts. Maybe it was because his exposure to art was limited to his youth. After all, kids color all the time in elementary school. This must have been what he knew.

"Gotcha." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess that's thirty munny I won't be getting back."

"To be fair, there _are_ coloring books for adults. You could've gotten one of those."

"Now you tell me."

Naminé shook her head but kept a smile on her face. "Well, I guess we better get started."

The two took a seat on Naminé's bed after clearing it up. They went over the supplies Roxas purchased but she declared all they needed to start was a pencil and a sketchbook. Roxas was slightly underwhelmed but complied nonetheless. To quelm some of her anxiety about not being a perfect teacher, Naminé decided to look up some advice on where to start with teaching a novice through online art blogs and forums. After getting an idea of where to start, Naminé began instructing her new student.

"You know, when I first thought about getting an art lesson from someone as talented as you," Roxas said, hunched over as he drew on the sketchpad he bought earlier, "I didn't think my first lesson would be drawing shapes. I feel like a kindergartener."

Naminé sat across from him cross-legged with her own sketchbook in her lap, observing his technique that reeked of amateur hour. "This coming from the guy who bought _Coloring With Choco?_ "

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Roxas argued.

Naminé smirked. "I know it seems tedious but I think it's necessary. You can't just jump into the advanced stuff. Incremental learning is the key. You have to start with the basics."

"I would think even a scrub like me would at least be able to draw a few shapes."

"Oh, really? Then draw a circle."

"Your wish is my command, sensei."

Naminé gave him a disapproving look in response to the newfound nickname but let it slide. After he finished, Naminé requested he show her his attempt at a perfect circle.

"That's a pretty ugly circle," she teased. As she expected, the lines were anything but smooth. It would suffice for the moment.

Roxas frowned. "If I knew I was signing on to be a verbal punching bag, I would have reconsidered this."

"Consider this payback for all the times you teased me," Naminé said. "Besides, admitting you suck at something is the first step towards improvement."

"Yeah, I really needed a reminder that I suck. Thank you for the revelation, sensei."

"Hush. Now, I want you to sketch a square around it."

"Sure thing."

"Now cut off the corners to make it an octagon."

Roxas did as told. "More boring shapes, huh? Yeah, I can tell you're new to teaching. You sure know how to make this art stuff _super_ fun and interesting."

"Just be quiet and listen please."

For the next five minutes, Roxas obeyed every command Naminé gave. As her instructions continued, they became progressively more advanced such as smoothing out the circle contour and giving it proper shading. When he would mess up, Naminé would encourage him to try again. The final result ended up being a very realistic-looking sphere. The sight of his work brought a smile to Roxas's face as well as a sense of accomplishment.

"Look, sensei!" Roxas displayed the drawing at his teacher proudly, even though she had already seen it considering she was instructing him the entire time. "It actually looks... half-decent."

Naminé put a hand over her lips to suppress a giggle. "See? Those boring shapes come in handy, don't they? It also goes to show even though your circle was pretty bad on its own, it didn't matter. Sketching isn't always about perfect lines or precise figures. The beautiful thing about it is that you can start from nothing and turn it into something great. Amazing, even."

"Huh. I guess I never looked at it that way before. But you're right. It has to start from somewhere." Roxas looked at his drawing. "I always thought artists... I dunno, knew exactly where to start and just drew. Guess you proved me wrong."

"The first time of many, I'd imagine."

"Oh." Roxas went wide-eyed. "Oh, so that's how it is?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?" Naminé asked, putting a hand to her lips as if she were feigning innocence.

Roxas grinned. "You try to put on this timid act but you're really a trooper on the inside, aren't you?"

"Like I said, this is payback."

Roxas gave a look at his drawing before an idea hit him. "Hey, I'm gonna try to do this again. Don't coach me this time."

Naminé respected his request and refrained from giving him tips, despite the fact she had to bite her thumb to resist the urge to correct him on some of his mistakes. Roxas noticed and pulled the sketchpad closer to his chest to avoid her blurting an order at him. In the end, Roxas finished another sphere but it looked nowhere near as good as the one Naminé helped him out with. He scratched his head with a confused expression. He did everything she said, right?

"Well?" Naminé asked expectantly.

"Uh... I don't think it turned out so good."

"Let me see."

Roxas showed her his product and sure enough, it looked pretty bad. The shading looked more like grungy smears, the highlighting was off, and the contouring was laughable at best. It looked more like a flat circle with zero dimension and random spikes sticking out of it.

Naminé suppressed a laugh. "It's... not a bad first attempt."

Roxas shook his head. "Thanks for preserving my ego."

"Just because you do everything in order doesn't mean you'll get the same results every time. But don't worry. That's where practice comes in. Here, I'll show you where you messed up."

Naminé explained the process once again. After some practice, Roxas was able to do it fairly well on his own. It still didn't have the level of polish Naminé could accomplish but it was a good start. She showed him some other basic techniques and once Roxas started getting the hang of things, he began to feel a sense of pride.

"How about I try drawing something bigger?" he suggested.

"Something... bigger?" Naminé wondered aloud.

"Yeah, I wanna try drawing something bigger like... scenery or something like that."

"Roxas, just because you can draw a few shapes doesn't mean you're ready for that," she admonished. "Don't let it go to your head."

"I'm not," Roxas assured. "I just want to give it a try. Your old drawings weren't anything special compared to what you can do now. You still ended up being an amazing artist."

Naminé considered his words and admitted he wasn't entirely wrong. Drawing shapes and polygons would only get him so far. She still wasn't sure how serious he was about getting into art but she decided to humor him. "Did you have anything in mind?"

Roxas opened his mouth with a raised finger pointed but as he realized nothing came to mind, his finger deflated. "That's... a good question. I need an idea to come to me."

Naminé groaned. "Welcome to my world." She tapped her chin as she considered their options. "I do have one idea. A method for getting ideas when I can't think of anything."

"Lay it on me."

"Don't laugh, okay?"

Roxas crossed his arms. "I won't. Promise."

Naminé hesitated before giving her answer. "Meditation."

That was the last thing Roxas was expecting. "Meditation?"

"Yeah, it's easy." Naminé crossed her legs again and clasped her hands together. She closed her eyes before taking a deep breath. "Just do what I do."

Roxas raised an eyebrow but followed her lead regardless. "Are you teaching me how to draw or how to be a monk?"

Naminé opened her eyes with pout. "You promised you wouldn't laugh."

"Does it look like I'm laughing?"

Naminé sighed. "I know it probably sounds dumb, but... my mother taught me that ideas are created in space. Art is what connects the spiritual to the material and art of the highest form is given to us from above, thus our ideas are not our own. You know that feeling when you're hit with a burst of inspiration? It usually comes unexpectedly, not when you're actively thinking of receiving it. So, I believe that ideas come when they're supposed to come."

Roxas wasn't sure how to respond to that but it definitely sounded interesting, if nothing else. Naminé always seemed to put a spin on things in ways he never considered. While he didn't truly believe in spirits to the same degree, he decided he would at least give it a try to not make Naminé feel weird for suggesting it in the first place.

"Unfortunately, this method hasn't been working much for me lately," Naminé admitted. "It isn't foolproof but it certainly helps. Just allow yourself to relax and become the vessel of inspiration."

Roxas mirrored her pose and closed his eyes, inhaling a deep breath before letting out a satisfying exhale. Roxas liked to daydream but he wasn't one to meditate. He had to admit it was surprisingly therapeutic. He freed his mind from the constant chatter of his own thoughts. The only noises audible between them were the sounds of seagulls squawking and cicadas making their distinctive buzzing.

Then his stomach grumbled. Loudly.

Roxas and Naminé opened their eyes simultaneously. Roxas gave an embarrassed chuckle. "Sorry."

Naminé smiled warmly. "Maybe we should take a break."

* * *

"Ugh, give me a break."

Xion cursed under her breath when her phone cut off while she was scrolling through her feed on Mognet. Maybe that was what she deserved after blatantly ignoring the warning message of her battery being critically low. She sat alone at a table, slurping on the straw of her slushie even though there was clearly nothing left. She didn't have the energy to stop. Since she would be spending her day alone, she might as well treat herself. A cheeseburger with a cherry and blueberry slushie would suffice. After finishing her excessive slurping, she mushed her cheek against her fist and leaned her elbow on the table.

She caught the attention of a waiter who was cleaning a messy table in front of her. "Hey, can you get me a refill on this? Thanks."

He did as requested. Sensing Xion's boredom and loneliness, the waiter returned with a new slushie and some crayons since the kid's section of the menu had pictures for children to indulge in. Her first instinct was to send him a mean glare.

"What do I look like to you?" she asked. "An elementary schooler sucking on a sippy cup?"

The waiter, who seemingly lacked any evidence of emotion, didn't relent. Xion eyed the crayons as if they had personally offended her before sighing her frustrations away.

 _Oh, what the hell,_ Xion thought.

"Give me those." She snatched the crayons from the waiter, giving him a threatening look in the process, before pulling a menu from the container. What else was she supposed to do? Her phone was dead and it wasn't like she had a conversational partner. Lea was out of town, Riku was at the movies, Kairi was with Riku, Sora was training with Aqua, and Roxas was doing—whatever with _whoever_. And now she was sitting alone at a restaurant coloring on the children's menu. What even was her life at this point?

While it was irritating at first, Xion decided to be a bit more open-minded and found coloring to be surprisingly therapeutic. It was relaxing and she made a mental note to thank that waiter before she left. At one point, she wanted to color something blue but realized she didn't have the appropriate crayon for the job. To her right, there was a little boy sitting at a booth with his parents across the aisle. He looked no older than six and he also happened to be coloring on the children's menu.

"Pssst," she hissed, catching his attention. "Hey, kid. Got any blues?"

The kid frowned and threw his entire carton of crayons at Xion before sticking his tongue out at her.

Xion was appalled at this little shit's bad behavior. "Um, rude?"

"Stop that, Charlie," the mother said. "Apologize to that girl."

"No!" the bratty child said, pounding his fists on the table. "She's ugly and stupid!"

"Charlie!"

"Great kid you got there," Xion said sarcastically.

The mother approached Xion and bowed at her apologetically. "So sorry about that! We've already paid our bill so we'll be out of your way."

Xion gave her a smile and waved it off. "No, don't worry about it."

The father dragged his resistant son away from the table. "I told you we should've kept him in the detention center," her husband said, sighing.

"Let's just get out of here..." the mother said, exasperatedly.

Just before the father slung his kid over his shoulder, the little boy picked up his empty juice box and threw it at Xion.

"Hey!" Xion said, glaring at him. These parents needed to discipline this punk.

"Butthead!" he called out.

"No, _you're_ a butthead!"

Finally, the parents left with their demon child. Xion sighed. She was getting into verbal fights with little kids. What a day this turned out to be. She looked inside the carton of crayons.

Well, at least it had a blue crayon.

* * *

A few staccato piano chords played. With his back turned, Roxas slid against marble floor on his socks. When those piano chords repeated themselves, he turned around, kicked his leg out, and lip synced to a song blasting from the entertainment system in the living room into one of Naminé's hairbrushes. He bobbed his head up and down as if he were a rocker.

"Just take those old records off the shelf! I'll sit and listen to em by myself..."

Naminé, preoccupied with cutting onions, tore her eyes away from her task for a moment to roll her eyes at his shenanigans. She didn't bother hiding the smile that crept up to her lips. He was a terrible dancer and she could tell he knew he was.

"Roxas..."

He continued strutting into the kitchen and transitioned into embarrassing pelvic thrusts. "Today's music ain't got the same soul! I like that old time rock n' roll!"

"Roxas!" Naminé yelled. "Could you at least _try_ to give me a hand here?"

The music continued to play as he put her hairbrush on a nearby table. "Sorry, I couldn't resist. That's a classic."

Roxas came behind Naminé and placed his hand on the counter. She noticed their proximity closing as her back was nearly pressed against his chest. Naminé mentally tossed the thoughts aside when his incoming question grabbed her attention.

"So, what are we making again?" he asked.

"Taco wraps," she answered. "Kairi usually does all the cooking around here so don't have any high expectations of me. I figure this should be easy enough. It's delicious _and_ nutritious!"

Roxas grimaced. "You sound like my mom. What's next? Gluten-free pizza?"

"Hey, I'm trying to keep us healthy here. You ought to thank me."

"Healthy?" Roxas dug through their pantry until he came across an already open bag of potato chips. "It's like an unwritten rule get-togethers like these are required to have servings of nothing but junk food and teeth rotting sweets."

"Fine. Don't come crying to me when your skin starts looking like craters on the moon after eating all those greasy chips. I, on the other hand, am going to partake in a delightful, delicious, and _healthy_ afternoon lunch."

Roxas began munching on potato chips. "You said you can't cook, right? What makes you think it'll even turn out to be delicious in the first place? What if it's gross?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naminé asked.

"Just a fair warning." He raised his hands up defensively. "Don't shoot the messenger."

"You goofball. That phrase doesn't work if the messenger is also the source," she spat, despite the insult being delivered lightheartedly. "I bet I could make a wrap better than you at least."

Roxas grinned, closing the bag of chips. He scoped their fridge in search for some ingredients. "I'll take that bet. How about this: we'll make each other a wrap and see whose is better. Mines will be the awesome, super tasty one and yours can be the bland, boring, healthy one. When it's all said and done, you'll be the one holding an L."

Naminé gaped at the challenge. "Are you seriously challenging me to a cook-off right now?"

"I seriously am."

"You seem confident. Do you have experience cooking?"

"Nope."

Naminé scoffed. "Then what makes you so sure your wrap will be better than mines?"

"It's simple." Roxas closed the fridge with nacho cheese in hand. "My tongue has been blessed with such culinary refinement that I can just look at a dish and tell whether or not it'll be good. Therefore, my food will be amazing because I know what good food looks like."

"That sounds like the logic of a picky eater to me."

"Whatever. Just wait for your mind to be blown."

The two began their taco wraps with the music filling in the background. They were listening to a bunch of old records belonging to Naminé's father. Roxas ended up knowing a good portion of the songs since his mother had similar taste. He would occasionally pause the making of his self-proclaimed awesome, super tasty taco to perform the worst and most embarrassing dance moves with the confidence of a professional. She tried to resist at first but the sight eventually made Naminé burst into gut-punching laughter more than a few times. It was the first time Roxas saw Naminé completely let loose and laugh around him without attempting to suppress or downplay her own amusement. It egged him on to get an even bigger laugh out of her.

"Roxas, I can't—" Naminé attempted to say through her laughter.

"You're just jealous," Roxas said as he did a terrible attempt at doing the wave, which looked more like two stick arms see-sawing. "You wish you had these moves."

"I'm—I'm—" Naminé could barely get out her retort. "I'm more disappointed that I—snrkk—don't have a camera on me!"

"Don't worry, it's okay. I can teach you a little somethin' somethin' if you want."

"Not interested!"

"Has anyone ever told you that you sound a lot like my dad sometimes?"

"Has anyone ever told you that you should sign up for _Destiny Island's Got Talent?"_

"Yes. Everyone. Just wait till you see the finale!" Roxas danced into to the living room where he performed a very choppy moonwalk and spun on his heels. He gracelessly transitioned into what was his attempt at the worm, though he looked more like a fish out of water flopping against the floor.

Naminé held onto her stomach to suppress the pain of her laughter. "PFFFFTTTTTTTT. Ra—Ra—Roxas, stop!"

Roxas listened to her request, if only because doing his version of the worm kind of hurt his abdomen more than he cared to admit. "Yeah, okay, that's enough," he said, wincing.

"You're... gonna give me... a heart attack," Naminé gasped through fits of giggles. She helped Roxas to his feet.

Roxas grinned. "That was the plan, you know."

As Roxas got to his feet, the stereo switched songs. It was a classic and noticeably slower than the one that just ended. It also happened to come at a point in time where Roxas and Naminé were holding hands due to Naminé helping him stand. They both noticed this coincidence and quickly let go. Roxas offered to change the song and Naminé agreed. Thankfully, the next song had a much faster tempo.

"Dance with me," Roxas said.

"I think you've looked like enough of a fool for the both of us," Naminé retorted with a giggle.

Roxas went right back into his silly dance moves. They were a lot more tame than before but it was enough to get a bit of snickering out of Naminé. "Remember what I said about embracing your inner weirdo? Embrace it, Naminé! Embrace the weird!"

Naminé's shyness got the better of her and she began twiddling her thumbs. "Roxas, I can't dance."

"And I can?"

"About as well as you can draw, that's for sure."

"Seriously, what is with you roasting me all the time?" Roxas hated the thought of seeing her and Xion together. They would be relentless on him.

"Let's just say I find roasting you endlessly entertaining," Naminé said as a callback to his words the other day.

"For that one, you're definitely dancing with me. I'm not taking no for an answer now!"

Before Naminé could protest, Roxas grabbed both her hands and spun her around. Naminé decided to humor him and indulge in the art of bad dancing. The problem was that Naminé could barely perform a single move without breaking into laughter due to finding the situation she found herself in hilarious and embarrassing. Just the thought of dancing tickled Naminé in a way she wasn't expecting.

Roxas shook his head but kept his grin. She was hopeless. Eventually, Naminé was able to dance without busting a gut at every little movement she made but the air of mirth never left either of them.

Naminé attempted the sprinkler. This time, Roxas broke into a laughing frenzy. "Is that really your best attempt?" he asked through his fits. She looked more like she was cranking the engine of a motorcycle.

"It's better than anything you could've done!" she retorted with a challenging smirk. Roxas found she was surprisingly competitive.

"Wanna bet?"

As expected, Roxas's attempt was no better.

They danced their hearts out and for the next unproductive half hour, their taco wraps had been long forgotten.

* * *

Xion felt like she had been long forgotten.

All of her friends were out having a good time and there she was, sitting at the Shoyu Shoyu juice bar in hopes of bumping into a familiar face but that wasn't the case. The fact that it was one of Roxas's off-days didn't help her probability. Part of her was hoping she would somehow run into him there regardless. It was a naive notion. Instead, she was by herself sipping on pineapple juice.

A few feet away, a chiseled guy was blatantly checking her out. He rubbed his chin, delighted at what he saw, and decided to go for it. "Excuse me, miss? Was wondering if I could catch your name?"

She gave him her attention. "Xion."

"That's a nice name. They call me Chad Bryce." Xion inwardly groaned. Of course he would have the douchiest of douchebag names. It seemed eerily fitting for him. "So, what's a pretty little thing like you doing sitting here all by herself?"

"I'm just wallowing in my own company."

"Sounds fun. Me? Just got back from leg day at the gym. After all, I'm captain of the Black Mages at Firion High. Star quarterback. Yeah, no biggie or anything."

Xion was already done with the conversation. "Very interesting." She paid for her drink and hopped off the barstool. "But I'd better be going."

Chad grabbed her forearm. "Aww, but we were just getting to know each other." She shot him a glare but the big lug was so full of himself he failed to notice. "How about we dance for a bit? I certainly know a few moves that could impress you."

He pulled Xion in closer and discreetly inched his hand to her backside and gave it a soft squeeze, flashing her a cocky grin all the while. When Xion noticed, she gave him a smile back, making him feel at ease so that her knuckles cracking his jaw was all the more unexpected. Her cross punch sent him to the ground lost in a daze.

Xion dusted off her hands. The incident caught the attention of a few bystanders. Cid, who saw the entire scene unfold and was moments away from intervening, came from behind the counter and pulled the young buck up by the back of his shirt. Chad was still teetering on the edge of consciousness.

"That's my girl," Cid said with a grin.

"Cid, could you do me a favor and get this idiot out of here for sexual harassment?" she asked casually.

Cid gave Chad a vicious scowl. "Took the words right outta my mouth."

* * *

Roxas and Naminé sat across from each other at the table in the dining room. Before both of them was plate with a taco wrap made by the opposing team. As promised, Naminé fixed a healthy-ish taco wrap with sliced olives, green chillies, sweet red peppers, and guacamole dip. But with her _health_ element in mind, she took a few unnecessary liberties to the formula and added her own ingredients.

"You... added asparagus and pumpkin seeds," Roxas stated bluntly.

"It's organic," Naminé defended. "I'm sure it's not that bad."

"It's just... different?" The fact that she didn't cook often was becoming more apparent. "I get wanting to be healthy but I don't think you should disregard taste."

"Don't knock it till you try it," Naminé said with a huff. "I made sure to give everything proper seasoning."

"And... what did you season it with?"

"Garlic."

Roxas tried to smile but it was more of a cringe than anything. "Right..."

Naminé stared at him expectantly. It wasn't like he was going to get out of this, so Roxas bit the bullet and picked up the taco wrap with strange design choices. The taco meat dripped from it in a very unflattering manner that made Roxas prepare for the worst. Naminé smiled in anticipation.

"Here goes."

Roxas bit into the taco wrap, and...

"Huh. This actually isn't that bad," Roxas declared as he chewed.

Naminé gave an almost haughty smile. "See? Not only is it good but it's healthy as well. Now, don't you feel better you're eating something your body will thank you for?"

"Yeah, you're right. Guess you proved me wrong." Roxas gave her a smile. "Hey, do you mind getting me some water?"

"Sure."

As soon as Naminé got up to fetch him some water, however, Roxas immediately spat the disgusting taco combo into a napkin and silently gagged at the horrible stain left on his precious taste buds. He adopted a casual and innocuous appearance the millisecond Naminé turned around and handed him a glass of water.

"Thanks," he said, desperately washing it down to get rid of the aftertaste.

"So, are you going to finish it?" Naminé asked.

Roxas blinked. "Yeah, a little later. How about you try mines first?"

Naminé looked at her own taco with indifference. It looked normal enough. A standard taco wrap with meat, sour cream, and cheese. If anything, Naminé thought it looked rather basic. Underwhelming, even. Still, it couldn't hurt to give it a try.

She bit into it and—her eyes instantly watered.

The taco was hot. Really hot. Like, really hot. Like, really _really_ hot. It was so hot her face was turning as red as her sister's hair.

"Holy swiss cheese, apple bottoms with gravy!" she cried.

"Wh... What?"

"I-I don't like saying dirty words, okay?" Naminé fanned herself. She couldn't even bare to swallow it. She hurried to the trash can and spit out the atrocity, fanning her possibly scorched tongue. "What the heck did you put into that disgusting thing?! Lava?!"

Roxas glared at her. At least he _tried_ to preserve her feelings. "I just put a little hot sauce and some green peppers in it, that's all. No need to be such a baby about it."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I can't handle spicy stuff like that, Roxas!"

Naminé looked inside the fridge and grabbed the bottle of hot sauce bottle that was now almost empty. She distinctively remembered it being nearly full that morning. She gave him a dirty look and Roxas rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish chuckle.

"Okay, maybe I went a little overboard?"

"Gee, you think?!"

After putting the hot sauce back in its proper place, she marched back over to the table and grabbed the glass of water she gave Roxas earlier and gulped the rest of it down herself without bothering to ask for permission. She would give him more later to make up for it. She could've sworn the water caused steam to rise from her tongue. She breathed heavily and gradually calmed down. Roxas looked a little guilty. He happened to be a fanatic of spicy foods but he didn't consider his taste might be a bit extreme for someone else.

"So... how about we just order a pizza instead?" he suggested.

"Sounds good."

* * *

Xion slumped on the couch in her family room clicking through every station on the TV. While she initially felt a sense of pride and accomplishment for giving that jerk back at Shoyu Shoyu what he rightfully deserved, it also made her a little insecure. She felt so tomboyish and rough around the edges. If Roxas wasn't interested in her romantically, maybe that was a big reason why. Riku suggested she doll herself up more often but she always found that to be uncomfortable and out of character. Was it really right to change who she was to appease a guy she liked? She would take her tee shirts, denim shorts, and sneakers over sundresses, makeup, and heels any day.

Her mind began to wander towards thoughts of food. That cheeseburger didn't exactly fill her up but should she eat again? She didn't want to gain too much weight. Screw it. She was hungry and she wasn't going to hold herself back for conventional beauty standards. She would have ordered a pizza if she didn't spend the last of her allowance on drinks at Shoyu Shoyu. She really needed a job.

It seemed like Xion would have to cook something herself.

Maybe it would be fun. She figured she would prepare something for the rest of the family as well. She looked through the fridge and decided on chicken to go with one of their frozen pizzas. After tossing the pizza into the oven, she got the chicken out and the rest of the ingredients she needed. She waited until the pizza cooked a bit more before she started on the chicken so that they would both be finished around the same time.

Things seemed to be going smoothly until it occurred to her she forgot to grab flour since they were out of chicken breading. She opened the pantry and reached for the flour but it ended up being half-open. Her fingers fiddled with the container before she dropped it. The result being the flour pouring on her head.

She puffed at the powder masking her hair and face. The day couldn't get any worse.

"Wow, it's fascinating to witness how much an individual can suck at something."

She spoke too soon. It _could_ get worse. Xion groaned at the sound of the all-too familiar voice. "Go away, Vanitas."

Vanitas stood a few feet away with an amused smirk. His jet-black hair was nearly identical to his younger brother, Sora, but that was where their similarities ended. Xion always found Vanitas much more annoying of the two. He was the one who would always pick fights with the both of them when they were younger for no other reason other than him being bored. His voice alone was enough to grate on her nerves.

"And miss this highly entertaining scene straight out of one of those stupid slice of life comedies you always watch? We both know the answer." Vanitas whipped out his phone and snapped a picture of a very dull-looking Xion covered in white. "Oh yeah, new profile pic for sure."

"Ha ha ha ha. So hilarious, Vani. See my face right now? Hysterical."

"You know, if I posted this on Mognet, someone with a weird fetish would probably get off to it. How's that make you feel?"

Xion crossed her arms. "Can't you go do something productive? Like jumping in traffic for example."

"You'd miss me too much." Vanitas entered the kitchen and overlooked the mess Xion made. "So, what is all this anyway?"

Xion sighed. "Chicken and pizza. It's not going the way I planned."

"Clearly. Why not just order pizza and wings for delivery?"

"Because I just spent the last of my munny an hour ago. Unless you're feeling generous?"

Vanitas pulled out a hundred munny bill from his wallet. "Well, I guess I could buy it for you. If only out of courtesy of you looking like a miserable shit."

Xion's eyes widened. A rare display of kindness from Vanitas called for celebration. "Really?"

"Nah."

Xion frowned. "Should've known."

"You really should have. The setup was clear as day." Vanitas started sniffing the air. "By the way, you smell that?"

Xion caught on to the unflattering smell as well. It reminded her of something burning.

Wait, burning?

Xion quickly pulled the oven open and coughed once the smog of smoke filled her lungs. When the dust settled, she found a very overcooked, inedible pizza. Vanitas crouched beside his sister to get a look at the failed attempt. He looked mournful and placed a supportive hand on her shoulder. But his words betrayed his feigned sympathy.

"God, you need a boyfriend."

Having had more than enough, Xion tackled Vanitas to the floor and the two siblings went at it.

The pizza looked like it had brown cheese and coal for toppings.

* * *

The pizza had rich and creamy cheese with juicy pepperoni, sausage, and black olives.

Roxas rubbed his hands together and borderline drooled at the sight of it. He couldn't wait to dig in. Naminé suggested they watch a movie while they ate. Roxas had no objections. They were in the living room where Roxas sat on the big sectional sofa while Naminé tried to pick a movie for them. After a few minutes of rummaging through their Blu-ray collection, Naminé found something for them to watch.

"So, what are we watching?" Roxas asked.

"One of my favorites," Naminé said. " _The Choco._ "

Roxas recognized the name of that movie. It was a classic horror movie from the 1980s about a serial killer Chocobo that was genetically altered to have the physical attributes and speaking mannerisms of a human being. He never would have guessed Naminé would have been into horror of all things.

"Oh. I see."

Naminé noticed he began tapping his foot rapidly. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh no, yeah, no, yeah. No, yeah. Yeah, no. No, yeah, yeah, no... yeah."

Naminé stared at him for a moment before shrugging. "Okie doke."

Roxas wasn't sure how he felt about Naminé turning off the lights. It wasn't a big deal, right? It was just a stupid movie. A stupid, highly sensational piece of fiction. It shouldn't have been a big deal.

Naminé plopped onto the couch, picked a slice of pizza, and pressed play. Mocchi ended up sitting on her lap as well and Naminé stroked her fur as she watched. Naminé noticed Roxas hadn't picked his own slice yet.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah. Totally." Roxas picked up a slice and nibbled the top corner of it. Naminé wasn't sure what was going on with him but she figured he was just as excited to watch this movie as much as she was.

However, the more they watched, the more it became clear to her what was really going on. While she was calm and composed, Roxas would nervously chew on his thumbnail. He would yelp like a little girl every time there was a cheap jump scare, no matter how obvious the setup, and he would always play it off as if he saw a bug on his arm or something to that degree. Naminé found the whole ordeal both adorable and delightfully amusing. Half the time, she found his reactions to the movie more interesting than the movie itself.

They finally got to one of the most iconic and quotable moments in the film. The rabbid Chocobo was chasing down the lead female actress and she locked herself into a room. But it did her no good since the Choco used a chainsaw to cut a hole through the door and poked his head inside with a psychotic snarl.

" _Heeeeeere's Chokey!"_

At that point, Roxas unconsciously closed the distance between himself and Naminé quite a bit. She noticed his hands trembling and Naminé figured she had seen him on the verge of wetting himself quite enough. She entangled his hand into hers in hopes of calming him down. She hesitated at first out of fear of a potentially negative reaction but it was the only thing she could think of that could calm him down. Thankfully, her theory proved correct and Roxas was able to relax, albeit a little. Seeing him relax made her relax as well. Roxas was surprised Naminé would do something somewhat bold but he appreciated her attempt at consoling him.

"Be honest with me," she said. "Could it be that you're scared of these kinds of movies?"

The cat was out of the bag. Though, Roxas figured he must not have been doing as good of a job at hiding it as he would have liked to imagine. He just didn't want to look like a wuss in front of her. Xion and Axel made fun of his fear of scary movies more than enough.

"N-No, no! Of course not, I'm not... I don't... yeah, I am." While he would have liked to continuing denying it, the grin she was giving him let him know he would only be delaying the inevitable. "Guess you noticed how uncool I am when it comes to these things."

"To be fair, I never thought you were cool in the first place." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh yeah, that makes me feel much better," he returned sarcastically.

She giggled. "We can turn it off if you want."

"No, I'm f-fine, it's just... I've never seen this movie before even though I've heard so much about it. But I can take it, really, I can."

"Roxas. You're shaking."

Upon realizing what she said was true, Naminé did him the courtesy of turning the movie off herself without getting him to admit anything he deemed embarrassing. While he would have liked to stick through with it to the end, Roxas was grateful for Naminé's kindness.

"How about we watch something else?" Naminé suggested.

Roxas gave an embarrassed, but appreciative, smile. "That'd be nice."

Snow had a thing for bad movies. He and his daughters would sometimes watch them together to make fun of the absurd direction and writing decisions and laugh at the stupidity of it all. Naminé decided she would let Roxas in on that tradition as well.

And thus, they spent the next few hours watching bad movie after bad movie, cracking jokes and laughing the whole time.

* * *

They spent the next hour in silence.

Despite their skirmish, Vanitas bought Xion a pizza and some wings anyway, his justification being that it would keep her annoying mouth shut. It wasn't like he was being nice or anything.

The brother and sister duo sat on the opposite ends of the couch in the living room, making sure to stay as far away from each other as possible. Xion had taken a shower, freeing her face and hair of all specks of flour, although it was kind of a pain to wash off. Vanitas slouched in his seat, bored as all hell, while Xion leaned against the armrest, jumping through the channels with the remote.

Vanitas rubbed his temples. "For fuck's sake. Would you please just pick a damn channel already?"

"Shut up."

* * *

"So, I think I got my idea," Roxas said. "I think I got it around the time when we had that taco contest."

Naminé, who was in the middle of turning off the TV, turned around and looked at him with curiosity. "Hm?"

"About the drawing. I know what I want to do." Roxas scratched his cheek. "I want us to try drawing each other."

"You mean us? As in, you draw me and I draw you?"

"If you want."

"You want to move on to portraits?" She chuckled. "I don't know if you're ready for that."

"Of course I'm not but that's not really why I want to do it. I just think it could be fun. Besides, I kinda want to see how good you can draw me, if I'm being completely honest."

The glint in his eye was enough to make Naminé blush. "Well... sure. I guess we can give it a try."

Roxas perked up. The two headed back to Naminé's room where all of the art supplies had been left. Naminé and Roxas reclaimed their former seats on Naminé's bed and began their new art challenge. The task required them to study each other's faces, which meant eye contact. After the eventful day they had, Naminé could barely look Roxas in the eye. It wasn't because she was nervous. She just couldn't stop giggling. Looking at him brought back fresh memories of the goofball epically failing at doing the worm or him chewing his thumbnails to a scary movie like a little kid in the movie theater. Sometimes, when their eyes met, Roxas would make a silly face just to get a quick giggle out of her. It made it hard for her to focus.

Naminé was eventually able to find the resolve to get something done. The two took part in small talk while they studied each other's faces.

"So, does that mean you never learned how to ride a bike?" Roxas asked.

Naminé shook her head. "Kairi did but I was always too afraid to stop using training wheels. It's a little embarrassing."

"I think there's more people who never learned how to ride a bike than you might think." Roxas squinted at Naminé before erasing something on his doodle and redoing it. "I just got another crazy idea. Maybe I could teach you how to ride a bike sometime."

The proposal caught Naminé off-guard. He would do that for her? "Isn't that a little unorthodox? I mean, I'm sixteen and I should've learned this when I was five."

"Who cares? What other people think of the situation shouldn't matter. As long as we're having fun, right?" He gave her another look. "If you don't want to, that's fine. It was just an idea."

"No, I mean—I'm not entirely against it. I've always been a little envious of people who know how. They make it look so easy." Naminé gave him a look of uncertainty. "Let's just say it's under consideration."

"I can live with that." Roxas gave a warm smile. "I don't want to come off as pushy but I do think getting out more wouldn't be such a bad idea. I get that your sister is a little overbearing sometimes but I don't think she's wrong either."

Naminé sighed. She figured this conversation would come eventually. She already surmised Roxas was trying to help her break out of her shell a bit and she had to commend him for approaching it a bit differently than her sister ever did. "I know. I'm not mad at Kairi or anything. I know she has my best interest at heart."

"Same here," Roxas said. "I don't think you need to become a social butterfly or an extrovert overnight but I do think it would be healthy. You said you were having a tough time with your art, right? Maybe it's because you haven't allowed yourself to have more experiences."

Naminé mused over his words. It was the same stuff she had been thinking about the past few weeks. Before, she had trouble accepting it. Getting out still felt scary and unnerving. But if there were more people out there, people like Roxas, then maybe taking a chance wouldn't have been so bad.

Roxas could tell Naminé was taking his words into consideration and continued. "So, and you can feel free to outright reject this because I might be asking a lot from you, but... there's this party coming up."

Naminé grew tense at the word _party._ Not this again.

Roxas looked at her face and was quick to clarify. "No, no, not _that_ kind of party. It's a dinner party. A professional get-together. It's supposed to be in honor of my father for his time serving the worlds with Zack. My mom is the one putting it together. I was wondering if you'd like to come?"

Naminé didn't respond and kept her attention focused on her sketchpad.

"If you don't want to, I don't blame you," Roxas continued. "To be perfectly honest, I'm not super excited about it myself but it _is_ for my old man, you know? And I don't want to let my mom down."

Naminé detected a melancholy behind Roxas's eyes as he stared at his sketchpad.

"I just thought it'd be a lot more fun if you were around," Roxas continued, giving Naminé a smile.

She returned the smile. However, it was an apologetic one as she was afraid she would be giving him an answer he didn't want to hear. "Roxas, I..."

"You don't have to decide right now," he insisted. "The party is in a few days, so you have time to think about it. No matter what you choose, I'll respect it. But it has to be _your_ choice. I won't force you to go if you don't want to."

Naminé gave him a look of sincerity. "I will think about it. I promise."

Roxas appreciated the sentiment. The two went on to finish their portraits. To the surprise of neither, it took Naminé a bit longer to complete hers than Roxas. Once she was finished, she looked at the piece with much scrutiny. The perfectionist in her couldn't help but notice all of the flaws where she felt she came short.

"Well?" Roxas said expectantly.

"I haven't been able to draw in a while so I'm sorry if this disappoints in any way."

"Stop apologizing in advance already. Knowing you, you're probably nitpicking the tiniest little thing that doesn't matter."

"I care about the integrity of my work so it matters to me." She pressed her sketchpad against her chest.

"You really wanna keep doing this? Don't make me snatch it from you, Naminé."

Naminé bit her lip. She gave it a final, reluctant look and sighed. Showing someone else her work would probably always be embarrassing for her. "Okay..."

Slowly but surely, she revealed the portrait of Roxas she drew. The moment Roxas laid eyes on it, it brought the biggest grin to his face. As expected, it looked fantastic. He was in awe at the precise linework went into making it look more akin to a photograph than a sketch. She capture his goofy grin perfectly. It was everything he hoped it would be and more.

"Wow," was all he could muster. "I'm honestly speechless right now."

She gave a timid smile, averting her eyes. "I... I thought the nose might have been a little too big."

"The nose is perfect."

"W-What about the hair? I wasn't sure if I could capture all of the individual strands in a manner that came off naturally enough to—"

"Naminé," Roxas said quietly, taking the picture from her. It wasn't the fact that it was a picture of him that made him love it but the amount of detail and the subties she was able to capture. He would have been just as impressed if it were a picture of a stranger. "I think it's amazing. You're seriously incredible."

Naminé became flustered at the praise. "No, not really..."

Roxas chuckled. "Now I'm a little embarrassed to show you mine. I mean, obviously it's not going to be better than yours but... still."

"Well, I showed you mine so you could at least show me the same courtesy."

"You just want to laugh at it, don't you?"

She gave a playful grin. " _Maaaaaaybe._ "

Roxas sighed. He gave her portrait back and revealed his own. "Fine. Go ahead and hack it up."

While Naminé was admittedly expecting to laugh at what would be an amateurish attempt, to her surprise she found herself pleasantly surprised. It wasn't nearly as laughable as she thought it would be. Since Roxas wasn't good enough to draw something as realistic as Naminé, he opted for a more stylized, somewhat cartoony portrait. He even included Mocchi in the bottom right hand corner. It was far from perfect, some might even say it wasn't very good at all, but there was something about it Naminé found endearing. It also occurred to her while this wasn't the first time she'd drawn someone else, this very well may have been the first time someone had drawn her.

"It's actually... kinda cute," she said.

That was an answer Roxas wasn't expecting. He was waiting for her to burst in laughter. "Really?"

"Yeah, it's better than I thought it'd be," Naminé admitted. She gave him a smile. "I think you did a good job. It was very sweet of you."

Roxas gave a grin similar to the one Naminé had drawn. "Guess I had an awesome teacher."

Naminé scoffed. "I wouldn't say that."

Naminé realized, at least for Roxas, she no longer had trouble looking him in the eye. She didn't get nervous. She didn't see a stranger whom she was uncertain of whether or not she could trust. All she saw now was a friend.

In that moment, it dawned on her. Roxas was her friend.

She could say that with confidence. Of all the labels she could muster in her head, friend seemed like the most appropriate one. People who weren't friends didn't look like total fools when dancing together, make fun of each other without any malicious intent, watch scary movies, or have cooking competitions. It had been a long time since Naminé had someone she considered a friend outside her immediate family.

It was a nice feeling.

The moment ended when they heard someone enter the front door. If it were Kairi, then everything would be fine. At worst, Kairi would just make suggestive jokes about Naminé being alone with a boy. If it were her father, on the other hand, it would be cause for panic.

Naminé crept towards her door and opened it, peering her head outside. She could see the stairs down the hallway. "Hello?" she called out.

"Naminé?" the voice called back. It was the unmistakable voice of her father.

Naminé shot Roxas a glance and he immediately knew what it meant. It was code red. The imaginary sirens were blaring.

"Oh, hi Dad!" Naminé called back while Roxas scrambled to gather his things and stuff them into his shoulder bag.

"Geez, what the heck did you do to the kitchen while I was gone? It's a mess in here."

"Oh, uh, sorry! I tried making myself something to eat."

"You could've called me."

"I didn't want to bother you!" She didn't hear from Snow after that. When she turned around, Roxas looked like he had everything he needed. She hurried towards the window and opened it, presenting it as his exit. "Out you go."

"Anyone else getting deja vu?" Roxas asked as he climbed out the window.

"You don't want to use my sheets like last time?" Naminé asked.

"I'll be fine," Roxas insisted. He hung from the ledge. "We should do this again, though."

Naminé smiled. "Yes, we definitely should. Text me. And please, do not randomly appear on my roof next time."

"I'll keep it in mind. By the way, there's something I need to tell you before I leave."

"What is it?"

"Your taco was actually awful." He grinned sheepishly.

Naminé bowed her head in shame. "...I know."

With that, Roxas gave her a mock salute before leaping from the window and gracefully rolling on the ground until he was upright. He was a lot more agile than she gave him credit for. Roxas waved her goodbye one last time before he jogged away.

"Naminé?"

It was in the nick of time. Naminé heard her father's footsteps coming upstairs. Which meant he was coming to check on her. Naminé mentally prepared herself before she realized her portrait of Roxas was still out in the open on her bed. She was about to hide it before she heard her father knocking on the door, even though he entered without waiting for permission regardless.

Naminé sat on the sketchpad to block it from his view and hoped to whatever deity out there her father didn't notice and question it. When he entered the room, he seemed to already have a look full of skepticism.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, everything's perfectly fine!" she insisted. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason in particular. I'm just surprised you would try to fix something yourself. You know Kairi and I would've brought you something back if you asked."

"Like I said, I didn't want to bother you guys. I'm sure Kairi will make dinner tonight anyway. I'll be sure to clean the kitchen before she gets back."

Snow looked at his watch. "Yeah, she ought to be home soon. It's almost curfew." He looked at Naminé again. "And the pizza?"

Naminé blinked. "The what now?"

"In the living room," Snow clarified. "There was an empty pizza box in there. Where'd that come from?"

Naminé froze. She was so careless she forgot to discard any evidence of that pizza she and Roxas indulged in earlier. Roxas was the one who paid for it since he was the one with an actual job. Naminé didn't have any munny on her and she didn't have a card or anything either. She had to think of something fast.

"I—um, K-Kairi picked that up for me. I ended up calling her."

Snow raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said you didn't want to bother either of us. Now you're telling me you called Kairi?"

"I... did," Naminé hesitated. "I must've forgot. Just a slip of the tongue thing, I guess! Hehehehe."

Snow wasn't convinced. "You're not lying to me, are you, Nam?"

"What?" Naminé said with feigned shock. "No, of course not!"

Snow noticed Naminé had been wearing jeans all day. That was very unlike her to wear something like that around the house. She normally wandered around the house in her sleepwear. Why would she be getting dressed up unless she had a reason to? "There wasn't anyone else in this house, was there?"

"No! None whatsoever!" Naminé said. "Dad, this is me we're talking about here. It's not like I would have anyone to invite over."

Snow didn't entirely disagree but the situation still felt fishy. He wanted to trust Naminé. He always thought even if Kairi's motives were a bit shady at times, he could at least count on Naminé to be honest with him. Also, was she trying to hide something under her butt? He didn't want to suspect her. He decided he wouldn't pry the subject and keep his suspicions in the back of his head for the time being.

"Make sure you clean up downstairs," he said sternly.

"Y-Yeah, of course."

When Snow shut the door behind him, he let out a sigh. Being an investigator, he couldn't help but have questions swirling around in his head. He had to. It was for the sake of the safety of his daughters. Even if it was something small, it could lead to something more dangerous.

Whatever the case, he would get to the bottom of it.

* * *

Kairi entered the front door. "I'm home!" she called.

She received no response. She walked into the dining room to find her father on his laptop looking over sports stats. She crept up behind him and covered his eyes with her hands.

"Guess _whoooo_?" Kairi sung.

"I wonder. Could it possibly be the one who just announced her return to the whole house?"

Kairi giggled and leaned against his shoulders. "Aww, guess I need to work on my stealth skills."

"You're late, by the way."

"Oh, come on. It's only ten past seven. Are you really going to be _that_ uptight about it?"

"That depends. Who were you with?"

"Just a friend."

"Hmph. Boyfriend?"

"Not at all," she clarified honestly. "Just a friend."

"I've still got my eye on you." Kairi rolled her eyes. "Just out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to know if Naminé has any friends, do you?"

Kairi most certainly did. If there were anyone on the list of potential friends for her introverted sister, it was Roxas. However, she didn't think her father would be happy to hear that so she refrained from telling him. "Not that I know of. Why do you ask?"

Snow furrowed his brows. "She's been acting a little strange lately. More strange than usual. I need to be sure she's okay."

Kairi chuckled. "Even if she did have a friend, would that really be such a bad thing?"

"The problem isn't in her having a friend. The problem would be whether or not they could be trusted. I don't want my little girl to be taken advantage of."

"Little girl?" Kairi scoffed. "I think you should give her more credit than that. I worry about her myself but Naminé is stronger than she lets on sometimes."

Snow didn't respond. He returned to focusing back on his laptop. "You mind fixing something to eat? I'm starved."

"No problemo," Kairi said. "Just let me rest for a bit. My feet are killing me."

Kairi slipped out of her shoes and walked upstairs, carrying them in her hands. She was about to head towards her room before her eyes settled on Naminé's. She was curious as to why her father would suspect Naminé. She knew her sister wasn't the greatest at lying. Kairi's curiosity got the better of her and she decided to check up on her sister.

She knocked on the door. "Naminé?"

She received no response. She decided to enter the room anyway and she found Naminé knocked out on her bed. She seemed tuckered out. Kairi was about to close the door and let her sister rest before something caught her eye. She seemed to be holding something.

Kairi crept into Naminé's room and peered over her shoulder to see an unconscious Naminé cradling a portrait of someone who looked eerily similar to Roxas. Kairi broke into a smug and satisfied grin.

It looked like sending Roxas over to buy Naminé ice cream that one time paid off.

_**Memories of Bonding** _


	10. Memories of Anticipation

"So, you're seriously not going?"

"Yes, Kairi. I'm not going to the party."

Kairi stood behind Naminé with her arms crossed and her foot tapping against the floor as Naminé finished preparing coffee in their kitchen. She thought Naminé had finally made some progress but it seemed like she gave her more credit than she deserved.

When Naminé turned around and took a sip, the glare of her sister hit her like a brick. "Are you really that surprised? You know how I feel about parties."

"I'm not surprised," Kairi clarified. "It's just—this is kind of a big day. It would mean a lot to Roxas if you showed up. Aunt Claire, too. Don't you want to go and support them?"

When Kairi put it that way, Naminé felt her stomach churn. "Don't do this to me. It's nothing personal against Roxas and you know I love Auntie Claire to pieces. But..."

She wanted to come up with a reason that justified her admittedly selfish move but she couldn't come up with anything satisfying. It truly was nothing personal. She would love to support Roxas and her aunt; she would simply prefer to support from a distance. Besides, the last time she went to a party was a disaster. She didn't need a repeat of that. Roxas would understand, right?

Kairi sighed. "Forget it."

"I'm sorry," Naminé apologized. She genuinely felt bad—like she was letting her sister down.

"No, no. You don't have anything to say sorry for," Kairi said sincerely. "I guess I shouldn't be trying to make you feel guilty for not doing what I'd want you to do. If you don't want to go, then you don't have to."

"I'm afraid that won't be the case." The conversation was interrupted when the two sisters noticed their father leaning against the kitchen door frame with his arms crossed. "I'm sorry, Naminé, but you're going to this ceremony."

"What?" Naminé frowned at him. "How come?"

Snow rubbed a crick in his neck. "I, uh... I think you could use the fresh air. Wouldn't hurt to get out more."

Naminé and Kairi exchanged looks—Naminé's was painted with confusion while Kairi lifted an eyebrow. It wasn't often Snow would encourage Naminé to step outside of her comfort zone. He was always more of an advocate of keeping her indoors where it was safe. Where did the sudden change of heart come from?

"I appreciate that but I'm okay," Naminé said, shaking her head. "I really have no interest in going."

"The thing about it is that I wasn't asking," Snow said sternly. "You're going to this party, Naminé. Considering when it starts, I don't think I'll be comfortable leaving you alone in the house that late. Am I understood?"

Naminé opened her mouth to protest but the look in her father's eyes prevented her from doing so. Naminé wasn't sure where this was coming from but she knew arguing with her father would be pointless. Instead of wasting her breath, she bowed her head instead. "Yeah, okay."

"Look, Dad," Kairi said, entering the fray. "I want Naminé to go too but if she doesn't want to, then she shouldn't be forced to—"

"It's for the best," Snow interrupted. "End of discussion."

Snow walked off without another word. A silence loomed over the twins. Part of Kairi was glad Naminé had to go but it was a hollow victory. She couldn't celebrate when her sister looked so conflicted.

Naminé sat at the dining room table and groaned, making sure to remove her glasses before plopping her face against the table with her messy hair spilling all over.

"No need to be so melodramatic," Kairi said.

"Easy for you to say," came Naminé's muffled voice. "Don't try to act like you're not happy about this."

Kairi chuckled nervously. "Well, I guess I'd be lying if I said I weren't a _little_ glad you're coming. But not like this," she clarified. "I was hoping you would go because _you_ wanted to this time."

"I'm sorry to disappoint."

Kairi took a seat next to her sister, offering a supportive hand to her shoulder. "Naminé, look at me." Naminé weakly turned her face to her left to give Kairi her attention. "Remember that girl we were friends with when we were younger? The one who traveled all the way from France?"

Naminé thought about it for a moment. It had been so long. "Ella?"

Kairi nodded cheerily. "She told us all about the Royal Ball that takes place once every year there and how wonderful and magical it must have been. We all fantasized about going to the ball, even if we were too young at the time."

Naminé darted her eyes left and right waiting for Kairi to get to some sort of punchline. "Your point?"

"I'm saying whatever happened to that Naminé, huh? The one who dreamed of being invited to a formal event with music, dancing, a big beautiful ballroom, and exquisite food. The one who wanted to explore other worlds?"

"Maybe she just grew out of those fantasies."

Kairi crossed her arms and gave a smug grin. "This coming from the same girl who still watches Saturday morning cartoons religiously? I don't buy it." Naminé narrowed her eyes at her. "What I'm trying to say is that this could be everything we ever dreamed of."

"I doubt it. This dinner is just to honor Roxas' father, right? I'm sure it'll be more professional than anything." Naminé sat up and retrieved a cloth lying on the table and began cleaning her glasses. "Besides, it's not like this will be the same as the Royal Ball at the Castle of Dreams. And even if it were, it's not like I'm a fan of putting my faith into reality anyway."

"It's close enough. There's going to be tons of high profile people in the galaxy coming to honor Mr. Cloud and the guardians. I just don't want you to miss out on it." Kairi looked to the ceiling and tapped her chin. "And of course, Roxas would really appreciate having you there."

Naminé watched the Destiny Islands scenery outside of the dining room windows, birds chirping as they flocked by without a care in the world. She did admit that since Roxas had done so much for her, it would be nice if she returned the favor. It was probably the least she could do.

"Yeah... I guess you're right. It'd be nice to see that goofball's reaction to seeing me show up." Naminé noticed her sister giving her another smug look. "What?"

"Nothing," Kairi sang as she pretended to look coy.

Naminé narrowed her eyes. "Please don't read too deep into that." She sighed, letting out all of her frustrations. "Okay, let's get this over with."

Kairi brightened at the sound of that. She clapped with a girlish squeal and practically yanked her sister to her feet. "Then that means we need to find you an outfit for tonight! It's been so long since we've had to get ready together for something."

Naminé sighed as she put her glasses back on but she failed to suppress a small smile. At least Kairi could finally get what she wanted out of this.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you look absolutely perfect for tonight!"

"Just don't get too carried away, okay?"

"Just trust me." Kairi took a step back and attached both her thumb and index finger to her chin, assessing Naminé as if she were a model and nodding to all the inner workings blabbering inside her head. "Mmm hmm, mmm hmm."

"...What is it?"

Kairi didn't respond and began feeling up her sister's thighs and shoulders.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?" Naminé sputtered.

"Trying to get a feel for what your sizes might be."

"I don't think that's how it works. Is the touching necessary?"

Kairi used her hands to create a makeshift camera. "Hmmmmm."

Naminé looked as if she were already exhausted. "Now what?"

"You still have those contacts, right? The ones you said were uncomfortable?"

"Yeah...?"

Without warning, Kairi removed Naminé's glasses. "These? Lose em." She tossed the glasses onto the kitchen counter.

"Be careful with those!" Naminé rushed to her glasses and luckily they weren't damaged. Kairi was too lost in her own world to care about the spectacles, her head swimming with fantasies that brought an almost psychotic grin to her face. She began rubbing her hands with a wicked look in her eye as she chuckled maniacally. "Kairi, you're scaring me."

Kairi gave Naminé a smile that threatened to tear the ends of her lips.

* * *

" _Keep a strong stance. Feet planted to the ground. One foot over the other, okay?"_

" _Got it."_

" _Keep your grip loose and weak. Never hold your Keyblade too tightly."_

" _But Dad, I thought I was supposed to keep a firm grip and that my blade was an exenshion of myself or something?"_

_Cloud smirked at his son and patted him on the back, probably a bit harder than what was necessary. "You mean extension and you're right. I was just testing you. You passed."_

_A young Roxas stood in the backyard of his home with his Keyblade in hand called Oblivion. It was prominently black with dark chains mounting the sheath with a jagged hilt. Per his father's suggestion, he held the blade in front of him with one bent leg stepped over the other. But Roxas couldn't help but feel uncomfortable and out of place._

" _Dad, I don't think this is working."_

_Cloud tapped his chin. "What makes you say that?"_

" _I dunno. Maybe it's this Keyblade. It's kinda heavy, too..."_

" _Good thing I had another one hand crafted for you, huh?" Cloud walked over to a table and lifted another Keyblade that wore the name Oathkeeper. In comparison to Oblivion, it was much lighter in its design with the shaft displaying two hearts and the hilt sporting angel wings. "Those moogles sure are something."_

_He traded Keyblade's with his son. Roxas took the same stance he did before and contorted his face._

" _How's that?" Cloud asked._

" _Better... I think? But it still doesn't feel right."_

" _I figured that'd be the case." Cloud crouched down to level with his son. "Rox, do you understand why I made two Keyblades for you?"_

_Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Because you're weird?" Cloud flicked his middle finger against his son's forehead. "Ouch!" Roxas rubbed the spot._

" _No," Cloud deadpanned. "Remember that time when you were practicing for the junior league struggle tournament? You were using two struggle bats to practice. Pretty uncanny, if you ask me."_

_Roxas thought back to that. "Oh yeah, I guess you're right." He shook his head. "But Dad, I wanna be just like you! You don't use two swords!"_

" _That's the problem." Cloud placed a hand on Roxas's shoulder. "Haven't you realized I've been making you do my battle stance this whole time?"_

_That caught young Roxas off guard and he rubbed the back of his head. "Oh... um, no. I didn't."_

" _You've found it uncomfortable this whole time, right?"_

" _Y-Yeah... I guess so."_

" _Exactly." Cloud put a finger to his son's chest. "You gotta stop trying to be me. Just because something works for me doesn't mean it'll work for you. You need to be who you are, kid. You're not me and I'm not you."_

_Roxas studied his hand. "Who I am?"_

_Cloud held out the Oblivion Keyblade. "You see this Keyblade? Let's pretend it represents darkness. The one in your hand there, Oathkeeper? That's light. They're a part of each other. You said you wanna be a Keyblade Master like me someday, right?"_

_Roxas nodded vehemently. "Yeah! More than anything!"_

" _Then you gotta remember our job is to keep the balance of light and darkness. These Keyblades will remind you of that." Roxas nodded but still didn't fully understand what his father meant. "It'll make sense one day. You think you're up for the task?"_

" _Yeah, of course!"_

" _Then I'll entrust these Keyblades to you. Just remember, they're not toys. You better be careful with them, got it?"_

" _I got it! I got it!"_

" _I'm serious, Roxas. I need you to promise me that you'll take good care of these blades. If you're serious about being a Master, you need to know that it's a big responsibility. People will be counting on you. It'll be up to you to keep them safe one day. Can you promise me you'll do that?"_

" _Yeah. I promise." He presented his pinky. "Pinky promise."_

_Cloud scoffed with a smile and hooked his pinky with his son's. "Pinky promise."_

_Tifa watched the scene from a short distance near the backdoor with the shadow of uncertainty cast over her face._

_Cloud cleared his throat and presented both Oathkeeper and Oblivion to Roxas. "In your hands, take these blades. So long as you have the makings, then through this simple act of taking, their wielder you shall one day be. And you will find me, friend. No ocean will contain you then. No more borders around, below, or above_ — _so long as you champion the ones you love."_

_The ritual wasn't necessary but Cloud figured he would do it out of respect for both tradition and his son. Roxas carefully took both Keyblades from his father and studied them closely. They felt like they were his now. A newfound strength and resolve coursed through the young Roxas. He knew what he wanted to do more than ever._

_Roxas turned around and got into a battle stance. This time, he wasn't trying to imitate his father. His legs were spread apart and his Keyblades extended out to the side. Cloud gave a grin of approval and ruffled his son's hair. Roxas chuckled and looked back up to his father._

" _You'll always be around to be my pal. Right, Dad?"_

_Cloud smiled. "You know it, kid."_

_The scene suddenly shifted to the hospital. Tifa pulled Roxas along by the wrist. Nurses and doctors quickly shuffled the body on a stretcher._

" _Come on, Roxas, we have to hurry," Tifa said, almost breathlessly, tears threatening to spill._

" _Is he responding?" one of the doctors asked._

" _Barely, but we're losing him," another doctor said._

_Roxas imagined his father's face, blood painting his face, bruises and purple blemishes decorating his arms and exposed chest, his face hardly recognizable with a scar overtaking the left side of his face for life. Roxas had never seen his father in this shape before._

"Yo, buddy."

Roxas snapped out of his memory and it took a moment for him to remember where he was. The familiar voice that caught his attention was none other than Axel.

"Huh?" Roxas said.

"You zoned out on me. Just makin' sure you're still in the land of the livin'."

Roxas took in the sight of the banquet. The venue was massive, filled with numerous round tables covered with red cloths and bouquets of flowers. The carpet was spotless with oriental designs woven into the fabric. Multiple chandeliers offered a great source of illumination. Multiple ice sculptures lined up near the buffet area where chefs were still placing fresh, steaming dishes out on display. Before it all was a modest stage and an oversized portrait of Cloud Strife in his early twenties. He wore his old SOLDIER uniform as he held the handle of his former weapon, the Buster sword, behind his back.

Roxas and Axel leaned against the wall in the corner watching Tifa set up the last few tables with a few employees. She looked radiant in her sparkly purple gown and, much to Roxas's dismay, Axel didn't let up on reminding him how great his mother looked approximately every five minutes. Roxas and Axel cleaned up nicely themselves.

The two were taking a break from helping set up, their jobs consisting of hanging banners and decorating tables. Roxas' eyes landed on the large picture of his father with a look of indifference. For a split second, he envisioned himself in the SOLDIER outfit his father had famously worn and shook his head with contempt. It seemed unimaginable there was a point in time when he wanted to step into Cloud's shoes.

Axel and Roxas stood in a comfortable silence. Axel slurped on the straw from his plastic cup before noticing his best friend looking at the portrait of his father with an expression that wasn't exactly easy to read. It gave Axel just enough inclination to figure out what was going on through his head. Instead of suggesting they talk about it, which Roxas would surely reject, he decided to cheer him up instead.

"So, your old man totally cross-dressed at one point in his life, right?"

Roxas groaned at the question. "Why bring that up? It's common knowledge at this point and I'm sure he had a good reason."

Axel stared at the large picture of Cloud with a great amount of focus. It was so intense that it was beginning to weird Roxas out.

"What are you doing?" Roxas asked.

"Just tryin' to figure out how the hell a dude like that could've pulled it off. I mean, with those muscles and that lean, toned figure—"

"Okay, you're officially giving me the creeps." First his mom, now his father. Did Axel just have a thing for the Strife family he wasn't letting anyone in on?

"Just curious. I mean, if _he_ could pull it off, then I definitely could."

"Sure, if you want to scar everyone for life."

"You're just jealous. You seen my legs, man? Smooth as butter."

Roxas chuckled. "Whatever you say."

Axel noticed Roxas' demeanor lighten up a bit as he closed his eyes with a content expression. It was enough to let Axel know he would be okay.

"Look sharp, buddy. Looks like we're starting soon."

Roxas looked up to find Axel's words true. While they may have been a little early, men and women alike adorned in stylish tuxedos and gowns reaching their ankles with fur coats began to make their presence known. Likely sponsors and humanitarians. Roxas recognized many of the high profile figures. There was the Sultan of Agrabah along with his daughter, Princess Jasmine. Jetcht, the father of Tidus who happened to be the star player of the Zanarkand Abes. Tidus was right behind him and he looked about as excited to be there as Roxas. Unfortunately, it looked like he brought Selphie along as his date, who looked quite enthusiastic to be there in comparison considering how she tugged at her boyfriend's sleeve and pointed at all the luxurious scenery in awe. King Regis of Lucis was in attendance as he wobbled in on his walking stick. He was with his son, Noctis, the highly publicized heir to his father's throne. Roxas had never met Noctis, but he heard about him and he seemed to be around their age.

Those were just a few of the many highly established names expected to be in attendance to honor the legacy of Cloud and the entirety of Zack Fair's guardians of light.

"Where are the others?" Roxas asked, referring to their circle.

Axel cleared his throat and nodded over to their comrades. Demyx was in the middle of trying to sneak a hand at some sweets near the dessert table before Larxene slapped his wrist with a chastising look. Saïx seemed relatively disinterested in the festivities while Lexaeus looked like a stern bodyguard with his burly arms folded over his brutish chest.

Roxas kicked himself off the wall. "Keep an eye on them for me, will you? Make sure Demyx doesn't shove his hand into the cake when no one's looking."

"You got it, boss. Where are you goin'?"

Roxas pulled out his gummiphone. "Gonna make a call."

Roxas stood next to a plant near one of the few undisturbed corners of the venue and gazed at his phone in preparation. While he was prepared for a night full of boredom, he was glad that he would at least have his friends around to make the evening not quite as painful as it could have been. The only friend whose presence he was unsure of was Naminé. She never told him whether or not she would be coming and he was beginning to worry she wouldn't show. But it didn't hurt to ask. He scrolled down his contact list until he reached the "N" section and prepared to press the appropriate I.D.

"Boo!"

"AGH!"

The sudden voice shook Roxas out of his thoughts and the phone was quickly forgotten. When he turned around, he found Sora sporting his usual cheerful grin and his hands intertwined on the back of his head.

"Dude..." Roxas trailed off. It seemed like everyone had a thing for snapping him out of a trance.

Sora chuckled. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Roxas took a moment to look over his friend's chosen attire for the night. It was a little strange seeing Sora in more formal attire for a change considering he usually stuck with hoodie jackets and cargo pants. "You don't look too shabby, Sora."

"Right back at ya!"

"Honestly, I didn't think you had it in you."

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Well, Riku was the one who helped me pick this out. I have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to this stuff. I gotta say, wearing this wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be." Sora began messing with the bow-tie that was sloppily tied around his collar. "The only thing is this tie. I seriously hate these things and the guy who invented them. I can't figure it out!"

Roxas found watching his friend fiddle with his tie in an attempt to get it to stay in place only for it to return to its previously crooked state a few seconds later highly amusing.

"Tie aside, you look good, man," Riku said as he appeared behind Sora and put a hand on his shoulder. Vanitas stood next to him, looking about as bored with the scenery as Roxas expected. "Not as good as me, of course, but we've all gotta start somewhere."

Riku did himself the honor of trimming his hair a bit. He was also wearing glasses. Vanitas wore a white button-down with the sleeves ripped off his arms and a clip-on tie since he didn't have the patience to tie a real one.

"Haven't seen you wear those in a while," Roxas said, referring to the glasses.

"I figured I'd put the contacts aside for a while. I think the glasses give me that sexy nerd vibe," Riku replied.

"You keep telling yourself that," Roxas joked. He turned to the other newcomer. "Hey, Vanitas. Long time no see."

"Whatever," was all Vanitas said in response.

"What happened to your sleeves?"

"I'm too alpha for sleeves," Vanitas said. "Gonna go find food. Later, losers."

With that, Vanitas walked over to the buffet and began picking out whatever he wanted even though they technically weren't supposed to be eating yet.

"Looks like he hasn't changed a bit," Roxas said, unable to bite back a grin.

"Unfortunately," Sora sighed. "He's just a little cranky because Mom pretty much forced him to come."

"I'll be sure to steer clear then," Roxas said.

"Hey, hey! Look who it is." They turned around to find Axel approaching the three of them with Larxene following close behind. "If it ain't the Chad Batman and the Beta Robin lookin' like a million bucks."

"Wait, which one of us is supposed to be Robin?" Sora asked, slightly perturbed.

Axel gave him a condescending grin and patted Sora on the head. "I think we all know the answer to that, little buddy." While the others laughed, Sora pouted and gave Axel a scowl. "But yo, real talk, you guys look like you could _actually_ pull some digits or a girlfriend tonight. I'm impressed."

"Better to have one girlfriend than one million," Sora teased.

"Hey, you watch your mouth, you little shit. I am very loyal to my lovely lady right here," Axel said as he wrapped an arm around Larxene, who gave him a threatening look in response. "What?"

"Speaking of girlfriends, isn't Kairi supposed to be your date for tonight?" Roxas asked, his question directed towards Riku.

"You could say that but she wanted to ride with her aunt since she's one of the honored guests. I do plan on taking her out for some late night froyo as long as it isn't too late once the party ends."

Roxas noticed Sora spacing out. He waved his hand in front of his eyes. "You okay?" he asked.

"Hmm?" Sora gave him wide eyes and a grin. "Positive. Why do you ask?"

Roxas shook off his prior thoughts and waved it off. "No reason, I guess. By the way, where's your sister?"

Sora and Riku looked around to find the short-haired raven nowhere in sight. "She was just behind me a minute ago," Riku said. He had a good idea where Xion might have been. With a slight groan, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked over to the front entrance. "Be right back."

When Riku made his way out the front door, he found Xion standing outside to his left, tapping her foot while she hugged her arms and bit her lip. When she caught him staring, she quickly looked away.

Riku sighed. "What are you doing?"

"Just getting some late night air." Xion gave an edgy chuckle but it died from Riku's lack of amusement. She cleared her throat. "I'll be there in a second."

"What's the problem?"

"I'm just—not sure if I want Roxas to see me in this, okay? When have you ever caught me wearing a getup like this? Maybe I should have just stayed home."

Riku rolled his eyes. How many times was he going to have to go through this today? He and Sora already had trouble getting Xion to come out of the bathroom earlier since she refused to be seen in the dress Riku picked out for her. "Xion, you look great."

"Yeah, yeah, great. That's what they all say, isn't it?"

"Are you saying you don't trust me?"

"I _didn't_ say that," Xion said, slightly offended he would suggest such a thing. But the more she thought of it, she understood why he would come to that conclusion. "I'm sorry, it's just... _really_ embarrassing."

Riku crossed his arms. "You're out of your comfort zone. It's pretty natural you'd feel this way. But Xion... the thing is..." He approached Xion and towered over her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She thought he was getting awfully close. Too close for comfort. "This dress cost me a thousand and eight hundred munny. We're going inside."

Before Xion had a chance to respond, Riku hiked her off her feet and into his arms bridal style, sending Xion into a frenzy.

"H-Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" She was almost tempted to pull her fist back and whack him square in the jaw but she restrained herself. She didn't want to make him look bad on a night like this. But was the bridal style necessary?

Riku ignored her protests and carried her inside. While he seemed unbothered by the few glances directed their way from a portion of the other guests, the mortified Xion was painted red and covered her eyes.

"IhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyouIhateyou," Xion muttered under her breath. Judging by Riku and his amused smirk, he was unbothered by the attention.

The others caught sight of Riku and Xion in the short distance. After letting his initial shock at seeing Xion dressed in such uncharacteristically girlish clothing subside, Roxas found the sight of her cowering behind her palms amusing. He could practically feel her embarrassment just from looking at her. When Riku caught up to them, he set Xion down but she kept her eyes covered.

This time, Roxas studied her choice of attire. She wore a black, strapless dress with a skirt that flowed just above her knees and matching heels. It hugged her figure in all the right places and brought out a charm Xion wasn't accustomed to. Despite the pretty appearance, Xion wore a frown.

Axel nearly dropped his jaw. "That's not Xion."

Roxas grinned. He had to admit that seeing her reaction was cute. "I don't get a hello?"

"'Lo," she mumbled. "Happy?"

"You could look me in the eyes while you say it."

"It's embarrassing."

Her reaction reminded him a lot of Naminé. The two were surprisingly alike sometimes. It would be a shame if Naminé didn't come. He really wanted them to meet each other.

"Oh, come on. Look at me, Xion."

With a sigh, Xion reluctantly pulled her hands from her eyes. She was barely able to manage eye contact but she pushed through. Roxas had never seen her in something like this. Even when they went to homecoming and prom, Xion usually wore something similar to the guys, like a dress shirt and pants, but never a dress. Even seeing Xion in a skirt was, while not unheard of, a most certainly rare occasion. Despite that, she pulled it off naturally. Roxas thought she had nothing to fret over.

"Stop looking at me," Xion demanded.

"There's the Xion I know." Roxas rolled his eyes but maintained a grin. "Why? You look amazing."

Xion gulped. Amazing was definitely a step above the usual _great,_ which sounded way more generic to her and she had already grown tired of hearing it. "You know what I'll do to you if you lie to me, right?"

Roxas shook his head. "Now, why would I ever do that?"

"Because you're you." He spoke as if she were unfamiliar with the numerous pranks he pulled on her over the years. And vice versa.

"You got me there." He shrugged. "But this isn't one of those times."

Xion gradually calmed down as he looked as if he were proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone. Which, he had better be. She only went through all of this because Riku talked her into it claiming it was an opportunity to catch Roxas' eye. Knowing Roxas approved of the look was enough to ease her nerves a bit.

"Ugh, I feel like such a... _girl._ "

"I'd be worried if you felt like anything else right now," Roxas said amusedly. "I'm serious. You have nothing to worry about. You look fantastic."

Axel performed a cat call whistle while gesturing an hourglass figure with his hands. "He ain't lyin' Xion! You lookin' like a snack, girl! I officially take back all of my jokes about you bein' one of the guys."

"Axel, I swear to Choco," Xion said. She didn't look very flattered but was pleased to see Larxene jab her boyfriend in the side of his stomach.

"Yeah, no worries, Sis. You look great!" Sora gave her two thumbs up.

"You should be ashamed for doubting me," Riku said, tugging on the flaps of his vest confidently. "I'm the son of a woman who runs a fashion agency. Of course I'd have excellent taste."

"Yeah, well, I could've done without the heels," Xion groaned. "It's only been ten minutes and my feet are already killing me."

"But you're hot! That's what counts," Axel said, clicking his tongue and pointing at Xion hoping she would agree. She gave him a dull look in return.

"You know, sometimes I wish guys could be girls for just one day so they'd know how painful it can be sometimes," Xion deadpanned. "In more ways than one."

"Well, as long as we have fun, right?" Sora said before lighting up. "Oh, I got an idea!"

Sora fished for his gummiphone in his back pocket and messed around with it, his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth.

"Uh, Riku... can you help me find the camera thingy on this?" Sora asked while tapping somewhat aimlessly.

Riku scoffed while the others either rolled their eyes or giggled. "It's the icon with the big camera on it," he answered.

"Ohhhhhh." Sora noticed it and gave Riku a grateful smile. "Thanks, Riku!"

Riku folded his arms with a smirk. Considering the fact Sora only recently purchased his own gummiphone due to his reluctance to deal with new technology, it wasn't a surprise he was still getting the hang of using it.

Sora put his camera into selfie mode and accidentally took a picture of himself making a shocked expression when his eyes caught the flash. "Whoa, cool!"

Riku caught Sora's attention again before he could get distracted.

"Oh, right. How about we take a picture?"

When everyone was in agreement, Sora squeezed himself in the middle of Riku and Roxas. Riku had to hunch over slightly to fit into the frame. Roxas gave a lopsided grin with an eyebrow raised while Xion leaned her elbow against his shoulder, giving the camera a cheery smile as she did the peace sign. Axel put his tongue between his index and middle finger, flicking it out suggestively while Larxene rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, not even attempting to give the camera a smile.

When everything looked good, Sora extended his hand to present his group of friends.

"Alright, everyone say chocobo!" Sora said, lining up his phone.

"Chocobooo!"

At the last second, Riku put bunny ears behind Sora's head.

* * *

Kairi spent the majority of the day with her sister getting themselves ready for the party. Since Naminé wasn't one to fix herself up often, Kairi gave her every tip and trick in the book. Kairi even went through the trouble of digging through her closet to pick out an entire ensemble for Naminé. She did Naminé's nails, instructed Naminé on how she should wash her hair and face akin to a beauty sergeant (Naminé thought Kairi was having way too much fun with this), applied her makeup, and took plenty of goofy selfies on her gummiphone of the two of them horsing around for hours while trying on different outfits, as well as Naminé's clumsiness when attempting to fit into certain things.

When there was about a half an hour until it was time to go, Naminé sat in front of Kairi's vanity while Kairi finished braiding her sister's hair.

Kairi smiled at Naminé through the mirror. "After all this time, looks you finally let me do something with this hair of yours."

Naminé sent a tiny smile of her own in return. "Don't push your luck. You might not be able to for a while after this."

"Aww." Kairi pouted. "But this is fun, right?"

"As much as I hate to admit it, it hasn't been awful," Naminé admitted. "But it's not like we've gone to the party yet or anything. What if it's a disaster like last time?"

Kairi placed her hands on Naminé's shoulders and looked at her through the vanity. "I said it before and I'll say it again: I won't let anyone hurt you. I know I failed you last time but I won't let that happen again. Not now, not ever. I'm sure Roxas probably feels the same way," she added slyly, though Naminé didn't give it much of a reaction. "No one is laying a hand on my little sister this time."

"Little sister?" Naminé scoffed. "Only by, like, two minutes."

"Two minutes too late." Kairi stuck her tongue out at Naminé.

"Besides, I've told you before that you didn't fail me, Kairi. I don't want you thinking that way because it's not true."

Kairi didn't look entirely convinced. "I guess, but I stand by what I said." Kairi lifted some of Naminé's hair, revealing more of her face. "We're going to have fun, okay? And I know Roxas will appreciate you showing up."

"I would hope so." Naminé frowned. Part of her felt like she owed it to Roxas. He had already done a lot for her. But this wasn't just about him. It was about her overcoming an obstacle, albeit by force, to show her support for Roxas and his father. Naminé knew what the death of a parent felt like. It was awful and having people around who cared about her helped get her back on her feet. She wondered if Roxas was the same.

"Of course!" Kairi nodded enthusiastically. "I know I appreciate it. I'm proud of you, little sister."

Kairi could be annoying at times with how pushy and persistent she could be but at the end of the day, she was a sweetheart who always meant well. Naminé didn't deserve her.

"Thanks, Kairi."

The sound of Naminé's gummiphone vibrating against Kairi's table cut their conversation short. "S-Someone's calling," Naminé stuttered. Who in the worlds would be calling? No one ever called her aside from Kairi or her father and she hated talking on the phone.

"So, answer it, silly."

"B-But, um, I'm too busy getting my hair done right now, right?"

Kairi rolled her eyes and snatched Naminé's phone from her dresser. "Hello?" she answered. "Oh, hey Roxas!"

That name certainly caught Naminé's attention.

"Is Naminé available?" Kairi asked, repeating Roxas' question. Naminé vehemently shook her head while using her fingers to metaphorically cut her own neck. "Yep, she sure is!"

Kairi happily handed the phone over to her sister, who took the phone without a trace of enthusiasm.

"...Wh-What is it?" Naminé greeted with a quiet voice. Kairi gave Naminé a scolding look.

"I take it this is a bad time?" Roxas asked.

"Th-Th-That's not it, necessarily. I just—did you have to call me? I told you I hate talking on the phone. Can't you just text me?"

Roxas chuckled. "Same old, same old."

Naminé bumped her free fist against her left hip. "What do you mean by that?"

"So, I was just wondering," Roxas began, ignoring her question, "did you decide what you're going to do?"

"Could you be a little more specific?"

"About the party. You know, the one happening... right now, actually. You never got back to me on that."

Naminé looked at herself in the mirror. She was all dolled up thanks to Kairi. Her lips were encased in lip gloss, her skin looked clear and porcelain, and she had just the right amount of eyeshadow and mascara that brought out her eyes. Something about it made her feel embarrassed. She wasn't used to looking like this and she felt out of her element.

"No, I'm not," she answered.

Her answer made Kairi's eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets.

"I see," Roxas said, his voice empathetic but disappointed. "Well, it's understandable."

Naminé had to bite back her laughter at the sight of her sister silently fuming in front of her. She calmed down after Naminé made a gesture towards her. "Are you mad at me?" she asked, her question directed at Roxas.

"No, of course not," he said assuredly. "Why would I be mad?"

Naminé drew invisible circles on the armrest of her chair. "I dunno. I told you I'd think about it, giving you false hope, only to give you an answer you probably didn't want to hear in the end."

"Whatever the case, your decision is your own," Roxas said. "I don't want you to do something because I want you to do it. Do whatever makes you feel comfortable, okay?"

Naminé felt her lips part for a moment before settling into a soft smile. If anything, his answer made her glad she was going after all. "That's sweet of you. I guess you're capable of that sometimes."

"Wait, wait. Hold up. Sometimes?"

Naminé giggled. "Sometimes. Hold that L."

"I... can't believe that you, of all people, just told me to hold an L."

"You're surprised?"

"Yeah, now I know you have a cheeky side."

"Gee, I wonder where I got it from. I guess you're rubbing off on me."

"Fine, I'll add that L to the collection. What is that, like, twelve so far?"

"Maybe thirteen." Naminé snickered.

"You know, I really hate that number for some reason." After a brief window of content silence, Roxas spoke up again. "So, you wanna hang out tomorrow? I was thinking about ditching the Guardian Festival, anyway."

"Sure, let me check my very busy and overcrowded schedule just to be sure. Okay, I'm free."

"That was fast."

"That was the joke, goofball."

"I knew that," Roxas said. Naminé rolled her eyes. "See you later."

" _Please_ text me next time."

"Meh. No promises."

After hanging up, Naminé looked up at her sister who seemed to have mixed feelings swirling inside her. Her first instinct was to grin.

"Don't think I didn't notice that," Kairi said teasingly.

"Notice what?"

"That."

"Oh, okay. _Now_ I know what you mean. Thanks for clarifying."

Kairi pointed at her accusingly. "Don't play dumb! You two were flirting up a storm right there!"

"We were _not_ flirting," Naminé argued. "Ever heard of platonic banter?"

"Mmmm." Kairi pursed her lips. "You seem awfully comfortable with him already. Which is pretty rare for you. I'm impressed with our little Roxas."

"Hence why I said platonic," Naminé said, playing with her hair. "Don't you think if I had a crush or something I'd be a little more, I dunno, nervous?"

"Not necessarily." Kairi returned to braiding Naminé's hair. "People fall for their friends all the time. In faaaact," she sang, "research has shown that while rare, relationships where both people started out as friends first usually end up being healthier."

"Research says a lot of things," Naminé countered. "I bet you I could find an article arguing the exact opposite if I looked hard enough."

"I'm just saying that sounded like flirting to me."

Naminé decided to allow Kairi to believe whatever she wished and left it at that. There was no point in trying to argue with her. It took another hour but Kairi finally finished Naminé's hair and they were able to get dressed.

"I still can't I'm actually doing this..."

"Whaaaat? But you look _perfect!_ "

Naminé examined herself in front of Kairi's full body mirror. She wasn't used to seeing herself in such fashionable attire but she couldn't say she disapproved of the look either. It would still take a bit to adjust.

Naminé gave her sister a bashful smile. "Y-You think so?"

"Yes! You look gorgeous." Kairi stood next to her sister and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Naminé, you're so pretty. You really should be more confident in yourself. Roxas is a lucky guy."

"There's a thin line between confidence and vanity. Wait, what?"

"Now, do I have good taste or do I have good taste?" Kairi asked with a big grin, ignoring her sister's confusion with the latter part of her statement. Naminé decided to let Kairi get away with it.

"Well, you look really pretty too," Naminé complimented. Kairi was dressed in a pink high-waist v-neck dress with a belt around her hips and floral designs on the skirt. "You always know how to make something work. I'm actually jealous."

"Aww, stop." Kairi pretended to blush while waving Naminé off. "And don't be jealous! If you put in a little effort every once in a while, you'd kill anything you wore, Nam."

"My ego appreciates it," Naminé quipped. "I bet your super handsome boyfriend will be pleased."

"Riku? That dork?" Kairi held back a laugh. "He's not my boyfriend."

"I wonder if he feels the same way," Naminé teased.

Kairi's lips fell into a tight line. "Yeah, me too."

Kairi wasn't sure how she felt about Riku. She certainly liked him a lot more than she did before and considered him a good friend if nothing else, but she wasn't sure if she was interested in entering a serious relationship with him. Or anyone, for that matter. She wasn't entirely opposed to the idea but she wanted to be sure of her own feelings first before jumping into anything prematurely. She only hoped she wasn't leading him on or giving him the wrong impression.

"Well, what about Roxas? I bet his jaw will drop straight to the floor when you show up."

Naminé groaned. "Him again? Can you not bring him up for two seconds?" She felt like every conversation as of late had to bring him up at some point or another. "Please don't start doing that thing where you read into a situation way too much and project whatever you want to it. He's just a friend."

"Mm hmmm," Kairi hummed. "I'm sure that's why I saw you cuddling a portrait you drew of him the other day."

Naminé turned red. "What?! How did you know about that?"

Kairi gave her a sheepish smile. "Sorry! I just, maybe sorta kinda, stumbled into your room the other night to check up on you and... saw some things."

"How many times do I have to tell you _not_ to come into my room unless I give you permission?!"

"Since when do I ever listen to you?"

Well, she got Naminé there.

"I-I can't believe you saw that." Naminé covered her eyes. "There is a perfectly reasonable explanation for that."

Kairi placed her hands on her hips. "Oh, I'm sure there is."

"It, uh... was his idea. He came over that day and he wanted me to teach him some stuff about art and suggested we draw portraits of each other, okay? I was editing my piece as a way to practice facial features since it was already there and convenient and fell asleep during it. That's all. So, please don't make a fuss over it."

Kairi crossed her arms. "Honestly, I'm more surprised you let him hang out with you for a whole day."

"You do remember that you're the one who sent Roxas to bring me ice cream, right?"

"Yeah, but I forced him into that. It's different when you two go making plans by yourselves." Which meant that Kairi's evil plan may have been working but she decided to keep those thoughts to herself. Kairi tapped her chin as she thought over the implications of what Naminé just told her. "I just realized I've never secretly had a boy over our house before. And here I thought _I_ was supposed to be the cool, rebellious one?"

"Stop. It isn't like we _did_ anything."

"For now..." Kairi suggested slyly.

"We better get downstairs," Naminé said in an attempt to steer the conversation away from Roxas. "Aunt Claire will probably be here soon."

"You're not wrong," Kairi admitted, grabbing her handbag and making her way into the hallway. "Guess I'll finish up in the bathroom real quick. See you in a jiff."

Naminé was about to follow Kairi out before she looked at herself in the mirror one last time. Kairi might have complimented Naminé's looks but Naminé herself still wasn't feeling it. However, she felt like she should trust Kairi's judgement. She wasn't one to boost someone else's ego unless she truly meant it. It didn't stop Naminé from being embarrassed to be dressed in something so... unlike her.

Naminé studied her own face. It was strange seeing herself without glasses. It didn't help that these contacts were a little uncomfortable. It reminded her she would have to make bear eye contact with strangers. The thought made her stomach churn. Of course Kairi had to somehow find a way to make this worse.

The more she stared at herself, the more it started to dawn on her that she was going to a party. With people. Where she had to use words. To speak. And interact. Naminé's heartbeat picked up in tempo and her hands became hot and clammy. This was a formal dinner party. A lot of important people were attending this. What if she got clumsy and messed up somehow? What if she met a famous celebrity and totally spilled her drink all over their outfit? What if she completely embarrassed Roxas and he never wanted to associate himself with her after this? What if—

Naminé stopped herself. She was acting just like she did the last time. She needed to relax. Breathe. Inhale and exhale. Even if things didn't work out for the best, what mattered was that she tried, right? Still, she wasn't looking forward to getting acquainted with new faces. If she were lucky, she could just follow Kairi around like a puppy to avoid one on one time with strangers.

Then she got an idea.

Meanwhile, the doorbell rang. Snow was in the middle of fixing the tie of his basic black and white suit as he opened the front door. As expected, it was none other than his sister-in-law, Claire Farron. Considering her respected status as a former guardian of light who fought alongside the late Zack Fair, it was a surprise to no one she was invited to such a formal dinner party where the galaxy's top defenders, celebrities, and political influencers would be present. She saw it as an excuse to bring her family along and spend some time with her nieces.

When her eyes landed on Snow, her usual stoic appearance shifted into a smirk. "Well, well. If it isn't Mr. Hero."

"Sis," Snow greeted, looking at her up and down with indifference. She looked vastly underdressed considering she was sporting her outfit from her days as one of the Guardian Corps before being recruited as a guardian of light alongside Zack. "Radiant as usual, I see."

"Sorry to disappoint. But if you were expecting me in a tight dress and some heels for your fanservice, you were sadly mistaken."

Snow deadpanned. "Don't flatter yourself."

When Claire stepped inside, she began examining their household, though Snow couldn't tell whether she approved or disapproved. "I hope you didn't think I swung by to see your gruesome mug. Where are my favorite nieces?"

"You mean your only nieces?" Both Snow and Claire looked up to find Kairi at the top of the staircase, looking as confident as ever.

Claire smirked. "Favorite by default, I guess."

Kairi gave her aunt a big toothy smile. "Hee hee!" Kairi walked down the stairs as fast and carefully as she could considering she was wearing heels and gave her aunt a big hug. "It's been way too long, Aunt Claire. I've missed you."

Claire returned the hug with a warm smile. "I've missed you too, Red," she said after pulling back. "Where's your sister?"

Kairi cleared her throat dramatically. "Aunt Claire, Father, allow me to present... my masterpiece."

Kairi stepped out of the way to reveal Naminé at the top of the stairs.

It wasn't often Naminé dressed up so it left both Claire and Snow at slight awe at how beautiful and graceful Naminé looked in her attire for the evening while Kairi put on a prideful grin of satisfaction. Naminé wore a white sheath dress that reached right below her knees with translucent short sleeves. It highlighted her slim figure nicely. Her hair was braided into a high bun updo and she wore a bracelet with small, black beads around her wrist. For some reason, she held her sketchbook in both hands in front of her. Naminé almost looked like a different person.

"Hi, Auntie Claire," came her soft, bashful voice.

"Well, look at you," Claire said in a sly tone. "No glasses?"

Naminé shook her head.

"Am I a miracle worker or what?" Kairi asked rhetorically, seeing as to how the answer was plain obvious according to herself. Snow looked indifferent. Of course he thought his daughter looked beautiful—a little _too_ beautiful. There surely would be boys her age at this shindig as well. It was a good thing he would be there to protect both of his daughters.

"Hey, don't leave me hanging," Claire said. After trekking downstairs carefully, Naminé gave her aunt a long overdue hug. When they pulled back, Claire caressed her niece's hair. "You look perfect."

Naminé smiled. "Thanks, Auntie."

Naminé was still a little shy when it came to her relatives but she had a soft spot for Aunt Claire. She was a little mean when they were younger but after her mother died, she softened quite a bit and became a much more loving and reliable person. Naminé appreciated having her around. After all, she was one of the last biological pieces of her mother she had left.

"Do you really have to bring that with you?" Kairi asked, pointing to the sketchbook in Naminé's hand.

"Well, inspiration might come at any time," Naminé countered. "I regretted not bringing anything to draw on the last time you dragged me to a party."

"Oh, please. The point of these things is to socialize! You better not act like a hermit again or so help me, I _will_ withhold you from drawing privileges."

"You're not the boss of me, Mom."

Claire sighed. "You two never change, do you?"

"Alright, we better get moving," Snow said, cutting off everyone's banter. "There'll be plenty of time to catch up on the way to the venue."

While Kairi and Naminé headed towards Claire's car, with Kairi jokingly bragging about how much of a genius she was while Naminé rolled her eyes, Snow pulled Claire aside.

"Nice to see you smiling more often these days," he said with a grin.

"I guess idiots like you finally rubbed off on me."

"Guess I'm good for something after all."

Kairi and Naminé sat in the back while Claire claimed the driver's seat and Snow took the passenger's seat. Naminé noticed Mocchi staring at them through the window. After one final gulp, Naminé gave Mocchi a wave before Claire backed out of their driveway and into the road.

_**Memories of Anticipation** _


	11. Memories of Impressions

Roxas,

Just checking up on you. Is everything going okay? I was planning to come out to see you soon but duty calls. I prefer talking to you in person, though.

I was just thinking about things. Do you ever think about falling in love? It's a weird phenomenon. I don't have much experience with falling in love. You're the only person I've ever fallen in love with. But the strange thing is that I don't remember how I did. Is that normal? I don't think there's a moment in time that I can pinpoint where I can say, "Yep, that's when it happened." I wonder if that's true for other people as well? It feels like something that just happens over time. It's like learning how to talk. You don't remember the exact point in time when your native language suddenly starts to seem comprehensive. It's something we grow accustomed to.

I wish I could remember the moment I fell in love with you. There's a lot of moments I could theorize but I'm not sure which would be the right one. Or maybe that's the big twist—they're _all_ the right ones? Love is weird.

There is one thing I do remember. I remember the moment I started to consider my feelings. That maybe, just maybe, I liked this dork more than I initially thought I would. It's kind of funny actually. Our journey started when we met at a party and then I began to question my feelings at another party. And I hate parties.

Ironic, huh?

* * *

When Claire pulled into the venue parking lot, Naminé swallowed a lump hitched in her throat at the sight of all the fancy cars and limousines surrounding them. Knowing how packed this thing was going to be did not ease her anxiety. Kairi, Claire, and Snow seemed unfazed. Naminé envied their nonchalance.

"Alright, everyone got their ticket?" Snow asked as Claire removed her key from the ignition. All three of the girls flashed their invite to him. "Good. Naminé, Kairi, I want you both to stick close to me. We're a little behind schedule but hopefully we'll be able to find a table for the four of us."

"Aw, what?" Kairi whined. "But Dad, I wanted to sit with my friends. They're all supposed to be here tonight."

Snow turned around and looked at her with furrowed brows. He seemed conflicted. "...Your friends, huh?"

"Ignore him," Claire said, rolling her eyes. "You kids go have your fun."

Snow glared at Claire and she gave him a pointed stare back. "Fine," he grumbled.

"Thanks, Daddy!" Kairi chirped.

"But if you need either me or your aunt, we'll be—"

"We know, Dad," Kairi said with a giggle. "I think we'll be fine."

Snow exhaled and settled into a soft smile. "Yeah, I suppose."

Snow and Claire were the first to get out of the car. Kairi unbuckled before noticing her sister had not moved an inch.

"Ready?" Kairi asked.

"Y-Y-Yeah, I'm coming," Naminé stuttered. "Just give me a moment. I, um... need a moment to mentally prepare, that's all."

Kairi narrowed her eyes. "If you're not in there in five minutes, I'm coming back to drag you in myself."

Naminé knew that was a very serious promise. She nodded meekly. "Don't worry."

Kairi hesitated but eventually exited the car. Naminé took a few deep breaths and did her best to keep a clear head. It was times like this when Naminé wished she had her license so she could just drive away but she was stranded. And with Kairi's threat in mind, there was no other alternative.

"You're okay, you're okay, you're okay, you're okay," she repeated in a low voice. On the bright side, she did bring something that would make the night a little easier. She pulled out an eyeglass container that was poorly hidden inside of her sketchbook. She was glad none of her family seemed to question it.

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen."

Everyone went silent out of respect for Aqua who stood behind a podium on stage.

"First, I want to thank each and every one of you for your attendance and for flying from your home worlds to join us as we honor the legacy of someone I had the privilege to fight alongside with during a trying time when Sephiroth threatened the safety of countless worlds, Cloud Strife."

The audience gave a round of applause, including Roxas and his friends who sat at a reserved table in the dead center of the spacious room. While Roxas clapped, he noticed a few familiar faces sitting at various different tables away from theirs: Yuna, Rikku, and Paine. The latter of the three looked rather unapproachable as her arms were crossed. She seemed to be stubbornly refusing to clap for his father. It wasn't unusual for Paine to be moody. In fact, it was very common but it still struck Roxas as odd. Xion, who sat next to him, tapped Roxas on the shoulder.

"Psst," she hissed. "Do you know where Kairi is?"

"Not sure. She should be here by now," Roxas whispered back. "Maybe she's just running a little late."

"She better be or I'm totally chewing her out later for ditching me." The two returned their attention to Aqua.

"We'd like to acknowledge a few who made this get together possible as well as some of our galaxy's most trusted leaders and defenders. We'd like to thank Rufus Shinra, president and owner of the Shinra Electric Company and SOLDIER for funding a large portion of this event. Most of this wouldn't have been possible without him."

Rufus Shinra, who was revealed to be sitting near the front row, became the center of attention when he his figure was highlighted with a spotlight. He was a young man with blonde hair wearing a white business suit with a slightly oversized white jacket overlapping a black shirt. Rufus humbly raised his hand in gratitude, though knowing his ties with SOLDIER, Roxas didn't trust the act for a second. He also noticed among the nameless faces he sat with, likely his assistants and staff, was another notable face, Seifer Almasy.

 _Great,_ Roxas thought. He had a hunch he would be in for an earful from at least one of them before the night was over.

"We'd also like to thank my fellow High Council members for their continued ambitions in maintaining security across the galaxy and ensuring friendly relations between worlds. Please give a warm welcome to Squall Leonhart, King Mickey of Disney Castle, King Cecil of Baron, Auron, and my significant other, Terra Dohring. I'd also like to welcome many of our retired members of the High Council for being here with us today and actively continuing to observe world affairs long after their retirement: Master Yen Sid, King Regis of Lucis, Ansem the Wise, ruler of Radiant Garden, King Triton of Atlantica, and Master Xehanort."

Axel bumped Larxene on her shoulder. "Y'think I could shine my shoes with Xehanort's head?" he asked jokingly. His girlfriend responded by putting a finger to her lips and shushing him.

Aqua continued. "I regret to say the seventh retired member of the High Council, my master and a blessing to both myself and my significant other, could not make it today due to unfortunate circumstances." She paused, as if she were repressing some sort of pain before continuing. "But, if you please, pay your respects to Master Eraqus and wish him a healthy recovery."

As the audience clapped once again, Master Xehanort seemed noticeably disheartened by the absence of his lifelong friend and fellow student in the Keyblade Arts. He managed to maintain his composure.

"Also in attendance are the remaining members of the previous guardians of light, including myself: Ephemer, Skuld, and... hmm, I'm afraid Claire Farron hasn't shown up yet but please give them a round of applause for their service."

The audience clapped while many poked their heads around to see if Claire happened to have shown up under the radar but she didn't seem to be around.

"We'd like to give a warm welcome to Roxas Strife, the son of the man in question for tonight and helping put this event together along with his mother, Tifa. He's been so strong in the face of everything he's had to deal with this past decade in the wake of his father's passing. Please, show him some love!"

Roxas wasn't expecting the introduction and gave a modest wave when all eyes were on him after being hit with the spotlight. Axel was particularly loud as he inappropriately hooped and hollered in support of his best friend while Xion placed her hands on his shoulders. He noticed Sora giving him a thumbs up as well.

"And last but certainly not least, please give it up to one of my very close friends, Tifa Strife, who poured so much love into making this get together possible in the first place. None of this would have been possible if it weren't for her."

While it was supposed to be a formal event, the sense of professionalism was briefly tossed aside after Aqua introduced Tifa and the audience gave her the strongest reaction. Tifa waved shyly, a little embarrassed by the overwhelming response. Tifa spotted Roxas in the short distance clapping along with the rest of the room with a proud smile. She returned one of her own before mouthing the words, "thank you."

"Cloud Strife did a lot for the worlds. Many of us wouldn't be in this room if it weren't for him and Zack Fair, our previous generation's wielder of the Kingdom Key. It felt like a loss for everyone when Cloud died battling a case of geostigma, an ever growing disease to which we're still looking to find a cure for to this day. But today isn't a day for grieving. It's not for mourning or tears or remorse. Today, we celebrate him and everything he did for our wonderful galaxy. How he traveled many worlds alongside Ephemer, Hope, Claire, Skuld, and of course, myself to put a stop to Sephiroth. We look to him for his service and his sacrifice. Tonight, let's enjoy ourselves and remember him fondly. Thank you."

At last, the introductions were over. Before she left the stage, Aqua requested that one table approach the buffet at a time to keep things organized.

Roxas returned to daydreaming as he waited. It was disappointing Naminé wouldn't be showing up but it wasn't like he was surprised. He only hoped she had gotten comfortable enough to trust him when it came to dealing with these kinds of outings. He wanted to help her grow confident or, at least, content with being in her own skin. But he didn't want to force her into anything. He would just have to respect her wishes and ignore the itch in the back of his mind reminding him how cool it would have been to have her around, to introduce her to his friends and, more specifically, to introduce her to Xion.

Right. He had Xion. She was there. She had always been there. Ever since the first grade. He knew she normally wouldn't have been caught dead wearing a dress like the one she was wearing on any other day but she was there because she wanted to support him. He was lucky to have her as a friend. Maybe even...

Xion was minding her own business before she accidentally made eye contact with Roxas. She was caught off-guard to find him staring at her—smiling at her. She hated (loved) when he did that. Hated it because it was embarrassing. Loved it because the looks he gave were always enticing, whether he intended them to be or not, and the attention was never unwelcome.

"You need to stop that," she said. "It's freaking me out."

Roxas let out his signature chuckle. "Sorry."

She smiled at him. "Something on your mind?"

"Kind of," he answered honestly. "I was really hoping to introduce you to that friend I was telling you about over the phone the other day. I think you'd like her—you two remind me of each other a lot. It just kinda sucks she couldn't make it."

Xion wasn't sure how she felt about being compared to another girl but she would take it as a compliment. She put her hands on his shoulders and scooted closer to him. "Well, don't worry about it. There's always next time. Besides, _I'm_ here."

"You're right," Roxas said. "Just like you always are. Seriously, thanks for coming tonight."

"Well, of course, idiot. I'd need my best friend I.D revoked if I didn't." Despite the jab, her smile didn't waver. Roxas felt like he didn't deserve her as a friend sometimes.

"I wasn't giving you lip service earlier either—about the look," he clarified. "You look really cute."

Xion was once again caught off-guard. He always seemed to know the exact words to make her embarrassed. "Cute, huh?"

From her peripheral view, she noticed Riku across the table from her seemingly gesturing something with his eyes. When Roxas wasn't paying attention, she gave Riku a quick glance before Riku stared at her pointedly. Xion gulped. She knew what that glance meant. She was supposed to compliment him back. But how? Flirting with Roxas was not her strong suit.

"Well, you look..." Xion began. Riku kept his ear open, pretending to be discreet as he looked in another direction while sipping on his glass of water, "...like shit. As usual."

Riku let out a hard exhale and removed his glasses to rub his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose.

Still, Roxas threw his head back with a laugh. "Typical. You're so mean."

Xion shrugged. "Sorry, but I'd be a bad friend if I lied to you. What, you thought you were a hotshot?"

"Did we forget who you said you'd marry in that game of F.M.K?"

"Shut up!" Xion yelled, covering his big mouth with her hands.

Riku shot her a look of disapproval. Xion didn't see what the big deal was. Roxas knew she was joking. Hell, her saying he looked terrible was probably a better indication to him that she thought he looked good—which, she did. But that look Riku gave her made her question her own rationale.

"Man, I'm starved," Sora said as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs while he tied his hands behind his head. "When are they gonna call our table up already? We're sitting with Roxas, for crying out loud. Shouldn't we get special treatment or something?"

"Yeah, but it'd be a shame if we got called before Kairi got here." Riku was tapping his finger against the table as he watched the front door, waiting for his date to poke her head inside. "Seriously, where is she?"

"It's not like Kairi to just not show up for something without telling anybody," Xion said. "She even texted me earlier to show me what she was wearing."

"Do you guys think she's in trouble?" Sora asked, concerned.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Riku said before pulling out his gummiphone. "I'll see if she's active on Mognet."

"So, what exactly _is_ the deal between you and Kai-Kai?" Axel asked. "She's your girl?"

Riku took a moment to search for the right words. "Not exactly. I guess you could say we're dating, though. We're kind of in this weird place where we're not really together but it would be odd if one of us started talking to other people, too. She's like my... not-girlfriend."

"So, you're talking," Xion clarified.

"Ohhh, I gotcha. Talking, eh?" Axel said, rubbing his chin. "So, just talking? Or like, _talking_ talking?" He winked at Riku suggestively.

Sora scratched his head. "Um, isn't that the same thing?" The rest of the table either sighed, giggled, or groaned at Sora's naivete. "What'd I say?"

Axel was among the few who sighed. "Close your ears, kid. The adults were having a conversation."

Sora pouted. He hated being called a kid. Even worse, he hated not being taken seriously.

Axel bumped Riku on the shoulder, who happened to be sitting next to him. "You know what I mean, don'tcha cowboy?"

"I know," Riku said, not taking his eyes away from his phone. He knew what Axel meant. The kind of _talking_ where both parties weren't in a relationship yet but had it under consideration while partaking in intimate affairs. He was pretty sure Axel and Larxene had been _just talking_ like that for six months, swearing up and down they weren't a couple until they finally claimed the label. "It's not like that. I'm not trying to rush into things with this one. I really like Kairi."

"Really? Why?" Axel scoffed. Everyone groaned in disapproval while Larxene punched Axel in the shoulder. "Ow! What? Look, I'm just sayin'. She was hot when I first met her, sure, but then she started hangin' around us more and I found out she's like a naggy, know-it-all little sister who's always gettin' up in your shit."

Larxene seized Axel by the ear and yanked him closer to her. "Last time I checked, nobody asked for your garbage opinion."

Axel pouted. "Point taken."

"Besides, Kairi's too good for you," Xion said. "You're lucky to have Elrena."

"She's not wrong," Sora joked.

Larxene gave him a smug grin while an offended Axel gaped at her. "What? I show you tons of appreciation, babe. You know, with my penis..." When Larxene raised her fist again, Axel quickly shielded himself with his hands. "It was a joke! It was a joke! It was a joke!"

While a few at the table found their antics amusing, Xion scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Can't wait to hear about breakup story number three-hundred and forty six from Lea later this week," she said quietly enough for only Roxas to hear.

"I'll have the extra _extra_ peanut butter ready," Roxas quipped.

"Nah, but jokes aside," Axel continued, "Kai-Kai might be annoyin' as shit, but she's a ten out of ten. Easy." Larxene glared at him disapprovingly. "Babe, don't worry, you're a... twelve out of thirteen." Larxene settled into a smile before returning to her usual frown when she inwardly questioned what that was supposed to mean.

"I don't think she's annoying," Riku said. "Sure, she might be a little nosey but it's only because she cares. She's always looking out for other people and I happen to admire that in her."

"Me too," Sora agreed.

"More power to you, I guess," Axel said with a shrug. "Can't deny she's a baddie, though. I remember the day when I first saw her at the summer party and thinkin', man, if I weren't in a committed relationship right now... the things I'd do."

"Why are you so disgusting?" Xion asked, visibly cringing at the dirty face Axel was making.

"Some call it a gift," Axel said.

"Also, newsflash, you have a girlfriend right next to you," Xion added.

"Nah, it's cool. Larxene agrees. Ain't that right?" Larxene shrugged and nodded in agreement. It was well-known that she swung both ways. "Besides, not like I can control my hormonal urges. All I know is that I need to see that chick in a bikini at least once this summer. You know, for research. Doin' a summer project on human anatomy."

While Axel wasn't paying attention, the others noticed Kairi enter the venue along with Claire Farron and her father. They gestured her over while also gesturing her to keep quiet as she crept closer to their table. Both Sora and Xion stifled their laughter while Riku gave Axel a knowing smirk. "Uh, Axel..." Roxas began, trying to save his blabbering best friend. But Axel wasn't listening.

"Not gonna lie, that's probably insta-boner material," Axel continued. "Like just imagine the curves on—"

"Ahem!" Axel paused to find Kairi standing behind him with her fists against her hips. "What were you saying?" she asked. "Didn't quite get that."

Axel deadpanned, "I plead the fifth."

The rest of the table greeted Kairi with open arms. Xion got out of her seat to give Kairi a hug. "You look amazing, Kai," Xion said. "You are absolutely killing that dress."

"Me? Look at _you_ , Xion! You look so cute!"

"So I've been told," Xion said with a grin. "Thanks, Kairi."

Riku approached her as he admired his self-proclaimed not-girlfriend.

"Ooh, I didn't know you wore glasses," Kairi said once she noticed them. "Honestly, not a bad look for you!"

"You think so?" Riku adjusted his glasses. "You're to blame, you know."

"Me?"

Riku grinned. "You were the one who told me I should stop pretending to be someone I'm not. Well, I decided to give it a shot and start being who I really am: a giant nerd." Riku took off his glasses. "I always hated these things because I thought they made me look like a dork but you made me realize I was running away from myself. So, I figured I'd give them a try again."

"Aww, really?" She patted him on the cheek. "To be fair, you don't need glasses to look like a dork, but..."

"What?" Riku pretended to look hurt, making Kairi giggle. "For that, it's your treat the next time we grab a bite to eat."

Kairi sighed sarcastically. "Well, I guess one of us has to wear the pants in this relationship." Riku scoffed as she pulled him in for a hug.

Kairi looked over Riku's shoulder to find Sora still sitting at the table, twiddling his thumbs. Was he purposefully avoiding looking at her? The idea made Kairi raise an eyebrow. When he noticed her confused stare, he gave a short wave and a small smile.

Kairi moved past Riku and gave Sora a bright smile. "Hey, what's with the shy act? I don't bite."

"Oh, uh... sorry." Sora stood from his seat and cleared his throat. Kairi opened her arms, preparing for a hug, but instead Sora averted his eyes and extended his hand as if he were about to give her a handshake. "You look... nice?"

Kairi tilted her head but kept an amused grin as she shook his hand. "Uh, thanks?"

Riku smirked as he ruffled Sora's hair. "Still such a kid."

Sora grumbled and shot an evil eye at Riku. "Will everyone _please_ stop calling me a kid?"

When Kairi giggled at their banter, it made Sora blush. He never had trouble hanging out with Kairi before but seeing her in a formal outfit like the one she was wearing was a bit overwhelming for him.

"That's an interesting way to tie a tie," Kairi said amusedly as she pointed to the embarrassingly crooked tie on Sora.

He started fidgeting with it. "Oh, uh, yeah. I couldn't figure this thing out. These things are kind of complicated."

"Let me fix that for you," Kairi said. Before Sora could question what she meant, she took it upon herself to undo his tie and retied it for him. "I used to do this for my dad all the time after my mother passed away."

"O-Oh. I see." Having her so close wasn't helping Sora refrain from eye contact. Kairi didn't seem to notice or mind his squirming.

"There! All done." When Kairi pulled back, the tie was indeed in its proper place, no longer tilting or going crooked within seconds.

Sora was almost speechless by her work. He had been messing with his stupid tie all evening and Kairi fixed it in less than fifteen seconds. "Thanks, Kairi."

Kairi only smiled in response before moving on to Roxas. Riku, on the other hand, didn't fail to notice Sora's demeanor. He almost felt sorry for his friend.

"Sorry for running a little late, Rox," Kairi apologized.

"Don't sweat it. You're here now, that's all that matters," Roxas said.

"Look at you! Someone's all handsome-y shmancesome-y," Kairi said in regards to Roxas's look as she pulled him in for a hug.

"You look pretty handsome yourself!" Roxas joked, making Kairi gape at him as she pulled back. "Kidding. You look amazing, Kairi."

"I try, I try."

"It would've been nice if your sister could've shown up," Roxas added. "You and I both know that girl could use some fresh air."

Kairi grinned devilishly and gave a mischievous chortle. "Hee hee, well, it's funny you mention that, Mr. Strife."

Roxas narrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?"

Kairi looked towards the front doors. Still no sign of Naminé. She hoped she wouldn't have to resort to anything drastic. She still had approximately two minutes before she went looking for Naminé.

"Nothing," Kairi sang innocently.

Aqua returned to the stage. "Everybody, please give a warm welcome to a very close friend of mine who just arrived on the scene, Claire Farron!"

The spotlight hit Claire, who seemed to be in the middle of conversing with Prince Eric of the world of Denmark along with his wife, Ariel. Claire simply put a hand to her hip with an initial look of indifference. She told Aqua she didn't require a spotlight but she did it anyway. Claire sighed but smiled to the audience giving her a round of applause regardless.

"So, my aunt was close with your dad," Kairi said as she and Roxas applauded Claire. "Funny how things work out, huh?"

"Tell me about it." Roxas wondered if Kairi's aunt could tell him anything about his father during his time when he was alive. Maybe he could learn more about the circumstances that led to his father's death. There were still things he wasn't entirely clear on. It was so long ago that his memory was still fuzzy on certain details. All he remembered was his father being rushed to the hospital and those grotesque bruises trailing across his skin.

Roxas shook himself out of his thoughts. He didn't need to be thinking about that at a time like this. Aqua was right: this a time for celebration, not mourning.

Roxas felt someone tap him on the shoulder from behind. He wasn't expecting for it to be one of his fellow classmates, Yuna Toriyama, looking radiant as ever. She gave him a warm smile and a wave. Rikku and Paine accompanied her.

"Hi, Roxas," Yuna greeted.

"Yuna, hey!" Roxas and Yuna shared a hug. "Really stoked you could make it. Especially since you've got that summer tour coming up."

"I'm glad to be here. Just wanted to stop by and give you my condolences. I know it's been a while since he passed but from everything I've heard, your father was a wonderful man."

"Yeah, he was." Roxas nodded. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."

Yuna waved at a few of the others sitting at the table she recognized from school, such as Sora, Riku, Xion, and Axel. They returned the greeting with an appropriate amount of enthusiasm. Kairi, on the other hand, was starstruck.

"Ohmigosh, ohmigosh, ohmigosh," Kairi whispered loudly with a hand over her mouth. She could hardly contain herself. Was this really _thee_ Yuna Toriyama? Why was nobody else freaking out like she was?

"Oh, I guess you two haven't officially met," Roxas said, humored by the way Kairi could hardly contain herself. "This is Kairi. She's a friend I met about a month ago."

Yuna gave Kairi a smile and extended her hand. "Hello, it's very nice to meet you. I'm—"

"YUNA TORIYAMA, THE NUMBER ONE POP STAR IN THE WORLDS AND LEAD SINGER OF YOUR AMAZING NEW SINGLE, REAL EMOTION!" Kairi finished for her as she shook Yuna's hand more rigorously than intended. When she realized what she was doing, she quickly let go, her hands quivering as she tried to contain herself. "S-Sorry! Sorry, I'm just—oh my god—I'm a _huge_ fan and—AHHHHHH!"

Yuna, along with the others, found Kairi's reaction amusing. Even Axel had to admit it was pretty adorable. Yuna didn't seem to mind Kairi's squealing and bowed to her respectfully.

"I appreciate your support," Yuna said.

"Nice to see you again, Kai!" Rikku chirped.

"Hey, Rikku." Kairi snickered, still finding the irony of her name amusing. Though, knowing how manipulative she potentially was, she looked at her differently than before. "I didn't know you knew Yuna Toriyama. She's one of my favorite artists!"

"I'm happy to hear you like the music," Yuna said graciously.

"Like? No, girl, _love,"_ Kairi clarified.

"I'll actually be teaming up with my two besties here to form an all-girls group," Yuna said, referring to Rikku and Paine behind her. "So, I won't be a solo act anymore."

"That's right," Rikku sang. "We'll be the Gullwings! We hope you'll keep supporting us. Not that we need anyone's charity." She gave a quick glance at Riku, who didn't seem to have a strong opinion of her either way. Rikku dragged the bottom of her left eye down and stuck her tongue out at him.

"No way?! Of course I will!" Kairi pulled out her gummiphone. "I hope I'm not overstepping any boundaries if I ask if we take a few selfies together?"

"Not at all," Yuna said as she shook her head.

"AHHHHHHH!" Kairi screamed again. "I am _so_ bragging to all of my friends back in Radiant Garden."

While Yuna and Rikku led Kairi to a less crowded area, Yuna noticed Paine not budging from her spot. "Paine? Are you coming?"

Paine kept her arms crossed as she glared daggers at Roxas. "I'll catch up."

Yuna seemed to have an idea of what was going on but decided it wasn't worth intervening. She let Paine be as she followed Kairi and Rikku. Roxas was beginning to grow uncomfortable at Paine's intensity.

"Uh, you okay?" Roxas asked, waiting for her to break the ice.

Paine didn't acknowledge his question and dragged him to two glass doors that led to a balcony overlooking the horizon of Destiny Islands. No one seemed to be hanging around there so it was the perfect place to bring him without having to worry about eavesdroppers. She cut straight to the point. "I just wanted to give you a piece of my mind," she said. "I hate this stupid event. I think it's the stupidest, dumbest, most pointless thing anyone could ever come up with and I'm not sure why your mother bothered wasting her time."

Roxas, who was beginning to get offended, waved his hands defensively. "Whoa, whoa, back up. Where's all this coming from, Paine?" He and Paine were never close but she never seemed to outright hate him either.

"I'm sorry, it just sickens me," Paine continued. "I don't know why everyone seems to conveniently forget that your father is a big reason why geostigma has become one of the fastest spreading diseases across the universe."

"What?" Roxas asked, managing to keep cool and suppressing the rising octave in his voice. Roxas didn't like getting into politics much but this girl was asking for it. "Did _you_ conveniently forget my father also was a key factor in putting an end to Sephiroth, one of the most malicious terrorists of all-time? I know what happened caused a bit of a side effect. My father might not have been perfect but he did the best he could. You think we don't care about the geostigma crisis? My father died from it himself. Of course it's a big deal to us."

Paine narrowed her eyes. "I'd be more inclined to believe that if the Strife family took some accountability for his actions. There's millions of people all over the worlds that are sick, dying from geostigma. Some who won't even live to see the day when a cure is found—including..." Paine averted her eyes, "...including my mother."

Roxas suddenly found more empathy than he had before. "Oh, man. Paine, I'm sorry."

Paine shook her head. She had heard the sentiment before. "And yet, I hear nothing about the Strife family doing anything towards helping the cause or funding research for cures. Nothing! And it's not like you guys couldn't afford it. Oh, but we can throw a party to remember how great Cloud was, right?"

Paine clenched her fists and her shoulders hiked to her ears. She could hardly manage her anger. She didn't even know why she was so angry. She just felt that she needed someone to vent to and Roxas was the unlucky candidate. Roxas himself struggled with figuring out how to respond.

"Paine, I totally get how you feel. I know what the death of a parent feels like. If anyone understands what kind of hurt you're going through, it's me. But... I don't know what you want from me. I think it's a little unfair to invalidate all of the good my father did while tunnel visioning on one unfortunate incident."

Paine glared at him before sighing. "Look, Roxas, I'm not trying to make you feel bad—"

"Um, yes you are."

"The point is," she said, her voice evident with frustration, "something has to be done. We can't just sit around while all of these people die from this. Who knows? I could be next. You could be next. Someone you love could be next. So, we need to come together and put a stop to it. I've tried to do my part and get involved with protests and donate to research facilities. I think you could do a lot more good than me. If you're half the man your father was, you'd think real hard about that."

Paine left him to his thoughts as she caught up with Kairi, Yuna, and Rikku. Roxas didn't entirely disagree with Paine but he was still left unsure what she was expecting of him. It wasn't that they didn't care. It was just that his mother had a lot on her plate and he himself was soon-to-be a junior in high school. He didn't think they _could_ be much help in the first place.

With a sigh, Roxas stuffed his hands into his pockets as he walked back inside, weaving his way through the crowd until he spotted his table and reclaimed his seat next to Xion. Her eyes were full of concern.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

Roxas did his best to give her a smile. "Yeah, everything's okay. She just—"

Roxas stopped talking. Xion raised a brow when his jaw dropped as he seemed to be staring at something—or more accurately, someone—entering the front double doors. Xion waved her hand in front of his eyes before turning around to see what the fuss was about.

It was a girl. She was dressed in a white sheath dress and her hair was tied into an updo with a few loose strands framing her face. The strangest part of the ensemble was that she was wearing shades indoors that completely concealed her eyes. As she held onto a sketchbook, she took timid steps inside the almost overcrowded venue and nearly bumped into a stranger more than once.

Xion still didn't understand what the fuss was about. So some weird blind chick walked in. Big deal. That was, until Roxas got out of his chair with the biggest grin on his face. Despite her eyes hiding behind those sunglasses, he knew who the eccentric stranger was just by looking at the way she carried herself and the familiar sketchbook in her possession.

"Naminé?" he said, before rushing towards her.

Naminé? Xion found the name to be familiar. It took her a moment to remember and when she did her eyes grew to the size of saucers. It was _that_ Naminé! Kairi's twin sister. The memories began to flood back as she remembered meeting Naminé at the annual Destiny Islands summer beach party. The poor thing could hardly look her in the eyes and Xion couldn't help but feel sorry she had been dragged out to that party when she clearly wished she could've been anywhere else. Part of her was happy to see she had shown up since she would have liked to have gotten to know her better at the party but the other part of her was questioning why Roxas seemed so happy to see her. She knew Roxas went to go find Naminé when she rushed off after Selphie humiliated her. Did they start hanging out after that? And what exactly did that sort of hanging out entail?

Xion pursed her lips. That would definitely explain some things.

In contrast, Roxas was ecstatic. He had to apologize multiple times for squeezing himself through the people standing around making conversation with fellow attendees. His eyes never tore away from Naminé for long. The closer he got, the more he started to laugh. Of course she would wear sunglasses indoors.

"Naminé!" he shouted as he drew nearer.

Naminé, who resorted to standing in place with a stiffened back in an attempt to not get in anyone else's way, perked up when she heard the familiar voice and looked around in search of the source. It took her a moment to recognize him and she had to squint to find him coming closer in the distance. When she saw him jogging towards her with that annoying grin on his face, she felt some of her anxiety wash away in whatever currents brought them to her in the first place. She didn't bother resisting her own smile. In the midst of all the strangers, both unfamiliar and familiar due to their celebrity status, he was a sight for sore eyes. Something warm and familiar to latch onto. She wasn't alone anymore.

When Roxas finally reached her, he couldn't get out a proper sentence. "I just—but you said—and now you're—"

"Surprise?" Naminé giggled. "Sorry for tricking you. I thought it'd be fun to see what your reaction would be if you didn't think I was coming. Did it work?"

"Uh, yeah!" Roxas said, as if it were obvious. "I can't believe you. Did Kairi put you up to that? Seems like something she'd do."

"Actually, no. Funnily enough," Naminé admitted. "It was all my evil doing. You had no faith me, huh?"

"Considering that you were the one who told me you wouldn't be showing up in the first place, I think I had a pretty solid reason.

"Think of it as my very first prank on you." She stuck her tongue out at him.

Roxas shook his head but the smile on his face never left. Without even thinking about it, he pulled her in for a hug. Naminé felt her entire body stiffen. Her arms were trembling as she had no idea how to react initially. Roxas didn't seem to think anything of it.

"I'm so glad you came," he said.

Naminé wasn't used to this. The touching. The closeness. It was foreign to her. Normally, it would have made her uncomfortable but this was Roxas and she couldn't say she minded as long as it was only him. He was her friend and she trusted him. After all, she had already been bold enough to hold his hand when he was terrified of that scary movie. She wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed herself to fully embrace him. It was a nice feeling. It felt so warm and inviting. Maybe she should start hugging people more often.

She tried to ignore the feeling of disappointment when Roxas pulled back. A few more seconds wouldn't have hurt. "What is this?" he asked, referring to the shades.

She gave a nervous chuckle as she began playing with one of the loose strands of hair that hung from her updo. "I, uh... I dunno."

Roxas folded his arms, his smirk unrelenting. He had a hunch what the reason was but he wouldn't stop until Naminé confessed. The smile she gave was sheepish.

"Eye contact scares me, Roxas."

He shook his head. "Classic you, I guess. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I'll take that to be a good thing," she said.

Roxas was hit with an idea. "C'mon, I wanna introduce you to some people."

He started walking back towards their table but stopped when he noticed Naminé keeping her feet planted where she was. Her anxiety was beginning to creep back in. "O-Oh. Um, right now?"

"...Yeah? Why not?" Roxas raised an eyebrow. "It won't be so bad, right? You have the shades to help, right?"

"Well, yeah... but..." Naminé began fidgeting with her sketchbook. "Can't we just find our own table or something?"

"Just the two of us?" When Naminé nodded, he couldn't help but chuckle. For a moment, he forgot who he was dealing with. "I think it'd be a little weird if I ditched my other friends, you know?"

Naminé bit her lip. "Y-Yeah, I guess you're right."

Still, she wasn't budging. Roxas walked back over to her. "I'll be with you the whole time if it makes you feel better." To reassure her of this, he extended his hand out to her. "You trust me, right?"

She did. To assure him of this, she carefully placed her hand into his. His grip was firm but gentle. Though the anxiety was still there, she felt better knowing that he would be there.

"I trust you..."

Roxas smiled at her appreciatively. She was at least making an effort to try, that's what counted the most. He didn't let go of her hand as he led her through the crowd; a number of people noticed the gesture between the two and Naminé felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment when she realized how many of them were probably getting the wrong idea.

Across the room, Xion was growing a bit impatient waiting for Roxas to return. Sora seemed too preoccupied trying to figure out his gummiphone while Riku helped him. Axel and Larxene seemed to be having their own side conversation, leaving her to nothing but the voice in her head to keep her company. What was taking Roxas and Kairi so long?

One of her questions got answered when Kairi appeared behind her after partaking in a selfie session she would not be forgetting any time soon. "Hey, what's the matter?" Kairi asked when she noticed Xion. "Not having fun?"

Xion shook her head. "I'm fine. Just bored."

Kairi noticed the empty seat next to Xion. "Where's Roxas?" She looked up and immediately grimaced. "You have got to be kidding..."

Xion followed Kairi's line of sight and found Roxas leading Naminé over to their table. Xion attempted to hide her state of annoyance under a mask of indifference. Roxas sure seemed happy. He looked even more excited than when he first saw Xion. And was the hand holding really necessary?

Before Roxas and Naminé could reach the table, Kairi had already marched towards them and gave her sister a hard glare.

Naminé cowered under her eyes. "What?"

"Don't _what_ me," she chastised, tapping her foot with her hands on her hips. "What do you think you're wearing?" she asked, referring to the sunglasses. "Those completely clash!"

"Eye contact freaks me out, Kairi," Naminé excused pathetically. "You know this."

Kairi looked towards Roxas for support but he was no help as he simply maintained a humored smile and shrugged. Kairi sighed. "Well, at least you're here, I guess." She raised an eyebrow at their locked hands. When Roxas and Naminé noticed what Kairi was looking at, the two quickly released each other.

Roxas cleared his throat and called to their friends sitting at the table. "Guys, get over here! I want you guys to meet someone."

Sora, Riku, Axel, and Larxene exchanged curious glances before getting out of their seats. Axel was casually strolling towards the others before Xion tugged at his ear and pulled him back before he could get too close.

"Behave," she warned.

Axel shirked her away. "I got it, I got it."

Xion gave him one last warning look before she let him go. While the others got into a small circle, Xion stood off to the side and hugged her arms.

"Nam, I want you to meet the gang. This is Riku, Sora, Larxene, and my best bud, Lea. But just call him Axel," he added with a hand covering his lips. "Guys, this is Naminé. You might remember her from the party."

"Ohhhhh," Axel said in realization. "You mean Kairi's twin who totally got dumped in—ow!" He winced as Larxene jabbed her elbow into his side and promptly cut his sentence short before he blabbered any more than necessary.

Sora gave her his usual bright smile that Naminé found a little endearing. "Hey, there."

"Yo," Axel greeted, still rubbing the spot where his girlfriend hit him.

Odd choice of glasses aside, from what he could make out she was still really cute. He then recalled Roxas confiding in him about a shy girl he wanted to be friends with. Needless to say, Axel approved and gave Roxas a suggestive raise of his eyebrows. Roxas returned a puzzled stare but Axel winked as if they were on the same page. No way was a cutie like this going to be _just a friend._

"Very nice to meet you too, Naminé. Gotta say, you fill out that dress quite ni—ow!" Axel couldn't even finish his sentence before Larxene unsubtly dug her heel into his foot. "Y'know, that's really gettin' old," Axel whined in a strained voice.

Larxene then gave Naminé a threatening look. "He's off limits."

Naminé wasn't sure how to respond to that. For some reason, her voice seemed to be failing her again. It was like the night of the party all over again. She resorted to simply giving her best attempt at a tiny smile and a meek wave.

"Hmmm, have we met before?" Riku asked, tapping his chin. Naminé was about to apologize for slamming the door in his face the evening he and Kairi had their first date but the words wouldn't come. Luckily, Riku filled in the brief pause for her regardless. "Oh, I remember. You're the _not interested_ girl."

Unable to use her words, Naminé bowed as her way of apologizing for being so unintentionally rude before. Riku laughed.

"Don't worry, Kairi ran the whole situation by me," Riku explained. "No hard feelings. I'm glad we can finally meet properly, though. Kairi has mentioned you more than once."

Naminé glanced at her sister and Kairi returned a smile. Kairi was just happy to finally see her sister interacting with other people. Sure, Naminé wasn't speaking for whatever reason but if she learned anything from Roxas, it was to take a step back and let things happen naturally.

Sora, on the other hand, was confused and didn't hold back on expressing it. "What's wrong? Can't you talk?"

Naminé wasn't sure what to say. While she wracked her brain for the proper words, Roxas came to her aid and spoke on her behalf. "She's a little shy, that's all."

"Shy, huh?" Sora put a finger to his chin. He snapped when an idea came to him. "I got just the thing! Nobody can resist the funny face special."

"The what?" Kairi asked.

Riku groaned. "Come on, man. She's shy. Not five-years-old."

"Maybe it'll make her laugh," Sora said, his optimism never waving. He began approaching Naminé with confident strides but Riku, sensing discomfort from Naminé, held him back.

"Don't mind him," Riku said on his friend's behalf.

Sora noticed her stiffened posture as she stood a little closer to Roxas. He rubbed the back of his head and gave an apologetic smile. "Oh, sorry..."

Naminé didn't mean to alarm anyone or make them feel bad. She thought Sora seemed sweet. She shook her head and then nodded to let him know he was okay.

Roxas then noticed Xion wasn't in their circle. He peered behind Axel to find Xion standing by herself, still not making an effort to join them. Roxas thought it was strange since Xion was never particularly shy and she was the one he wanted to meet Naminé the most. He thought they would get along.

"Hey, Xion," Roxas called, grabbing her attention. "What are you doing over there?"

Xion was caught off-guard when all eyes were on her. Not wanting to give off her slight discomfort, she gave a shy wave and a forced smile. Reluctantly, she joined their circle.

"Xion, this is the friend I was telling you about the other day," Roxas said, a slight twinkle in his eye. "Naminé, this is Xion. She's one of the best friends a guy could ask for."

"We've met, actually," Xion said.

"You have?" Roxas asked. That was a bit of a bummer. He liked the idea of him being the one to bring them together.

"Yeah, at the party," Xion clarified. She did her best to give the blonde a cordial smile. "Looks like we meet again. It's good to see you. Naminé, was it?"

Naminé remembered Xion. Along with her being her sister's best female friend, she remembered Xion putting a stop to one of Kairi's attempts at dragging Naminé into a situation she didn't ask to be a part of. Despite them having never met before that day, Xion had enough intuition to decipher what Naminé was feeling. Naminé wasn't sure what it was about Xion but she felt that she could trust her from the moment they met. If only her anxiety didn't get in the way of everything.

"Y-Y-Yes," Naminé stammered, giving her best attempt at a smile herself. "Hi, um... Xi-Xion? I-It's nice to see you, too."

The rest of the group were taken aback. Even Larxene was caught off guard.

"She speaks," Larxene said.

Xion thought there was something different about Naminé compared to the last time they met. Back then, she seemed a lot more frail and meek. But despite this Naminé displaying those same shy tendencies, there was something about her Xion couldn't quite pinpoint. She was clearly uncomfortable but she was trying. Where did the sudden change of heart come from? Did it have something to do with Roxas?

Nonetheless, Xion didn't let her thoughts be known to the others. She maintained a look of contentment. Though, the way Roxas was smiling at Naminé made Xion a little uncertain of how she should feel about Naminé being there. It was a smile infused with pride and... something else.

Through the tint of her shades, Naminé's eyes looked past Xion and noticed all of the people in attendance, chatting amongst themselves. She was starting to feel small and claustrophobic. As if sensing her anxiety welling up, Roxas put a hand on her back. When she looked up at him, he gave her a reassuring look. Suddenly, Naminé felt a bit safer.

Xion noticed that brief, wordless interaction between them and she would have scrunched her nose if she weren't trying to save face.

"Come on, let's sit," Riku said. "I think they're going to call our table."

Everyone did as Riku suggested and reclaimed their seats. There didn't seem to be any extra chairs for Naminé or Kairi to sit. Roxas noticed this and gave Naminé a look. Naminé waved him off shyly.

"It's okay. I don't mind standing," she said.

Roxas rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous." It only took him a moment to find an unoccupied chair at one of the other tables nearby. Riku did the same for Kairi. "Xion, could you scoot over a bit?"

Of course. She just _had_ to sit next to Roxas, huh? Annoyed, Xion did as he asked while doing her best not to let her irritation be made too apparent. Roxas wedged the chair in between his and Xion's so that Naminé would be sitting in the middle of them.

"Sit here, Nam."

Xion huffed at her bangs as she stuffed her chin into her palm. He could've at least given her a thank you. Naminé gave him gracious smile before straightening her dress and taking a seat.

"Why'd you bring that?" Roxas asked as he took a seat next to her, his eyes directed at her sketchpad. It seemed like an unusual thing to bring to a party like this.

"Oh, um..." Naminé scooted a little closer to him so that she could talk in his ear while keeping her voice on the lower side. She preferred to keep her conversations with others private if possible. "I guess I just feel more comfortable having it with me? And, I dunno, maybe I'll get hit with inspiration. I told you before that art is a spiritual thing to me so it can come at some of the most mysterious places." She frowned. "Why? Is it weird?"

"No, no, I think it's a great idea," Roxas assured. "If you had told me you were coming, I would've brought you some colored pencils," Roxas chuckled. He shook his head. "I still can't believe you lied to me."

"It was kind of fun not being on the receiving end of one of your silly pranks for once," she said. "You should've seen your face."

"You got me good, all right."

"And for the record, that's not the kind of prank I meant when I said I'd get you back for breaking into our home," she said, a smirk tugging at her lips. "You didn't think I forgot about that, did you?"

"You're still on about that? You say it like it's a threat." He snickered. "Sorry, Nam, but it's hard to find you threatening."

Naminé scoffed. "Still not taking me seriously, I see. You'll regret that," she sang.

"Just don't make me eat another one of your taco wraps. I'd like to actually reach my twenties, okay?" She slapped his arm at the jab.

Xion wanted to die. She couldn't hear what those two were saying since Naminé scooted away from her, not to mention how loud it was with dozens of people talking at once. All she knew was that she didn't like how cozy they were.

Naminé spotted Kairi looking at her across the table, resting her chin on top of her clasped hands while giving Naminé her signature smug look. She winked at Naminé teasingly while Naminé only rolled her eyes beneath her shades.

"So, you tap this little thingy here and that's how the video chat thing starts, right?" Sora asked, messing with his gummiphone. Kairi was now lodged in between both him and Riku. Riku had been trying to help Sora figure out his phone before she got there and they continued even after she arrived. She didn't have much input but she found their back and forth rather amusing.

Riku sighed. "Yes, Sora. Like I've told you the last three times."

"Hey, cut me some slack. I'm new to this, remember? These things take time."

"You sure you don't wanna just take notes?"

"Nah, I got it, I got it!"

"Okay..." Riku said, unconvinced.

Sora awkwardly tapped at his gummiphone with his index finger. With an intrigued and bright smile, Kairi watched him as he looked very intense and focused, as if he were calculating an intricate math equation in his head. After a while, Sora stopped messing with his phone and stared at it with furrowed brows as his eyes darted back and forth from the side and back to his screen. Riku noticed and raised a single eyebrow of his own.

"You okay over there?" Riku asked.

"Yeah, no worries," Sora said. "Just one question."

"What's that?"

Sora showed him his touchscreen and pointed at one of the icons. "Soooo... this is the video chat icon, right?"

Riku slapped his own forehead. "Yes! Like I _just_ told you!"

"I-I knew that," Sora said, chuckling nervously as he scratched his cheek. "I was just... testing to see if _you_ knew."

"Yeah, I bet. That's why you accidentally pressed the Classic Kingdom app, right?"

"Shoot. You saw that, huh?" It wasn't his fault the video chat and the camera icons looked so similar. He just didn't want to click on the wrong one again.

Kairi failed to repress her laughter. Sora really was like a child sometimes. It was endearing. Refreshing, even. In a time of her youth where so many boys her age tried so hard to be someone they weren't, to be more macho than they were, to prove their worth, it was nice to see someone who was such an open book.

In response to her laughter, Sora put on an embarrassed grin. He finally seemed to catch onto the memo and clicked on the video chat icon. All he had to do now was to pick someone to call. It didn't take him long to make his choice. And it didn't take the person on the other end long to pick up.

"Hi, Mom!"

Her roundish face was framed by short jet black hair and a headband. Kairi could notice the striking resemblance she had to Xion already. "Hiiiii, Sora!"

Sora looked up from his phone to find his mother waving at him with boundless enthusiasm almost all the way across the room, sitting with her husband and a few of her longtime friends, including Tifa. He waved back with equal amounts of enthusiasm. Kairi giggled. It was just plain adorable.

The mother and son combo returned to looking at their screens. "Whatcha up to?" Yuffie asked.

"Riku's teaching me how to use this thing again."

"That explains it," Yuffie chuckled. She then practically shoved her phone right into her husband's face. "Say hi to your son!"

His father seemed unfazed with his uninterested, dull eyes. He and Vanitas were cut from the same cloth sometimes. "Clean the bathroom when we get home."

Sora grinned. "Nice to see you too, Dad."

"Ooooooh, is that Kairi sitting next to you?" Yuffie asked. Sora moved the camera over a little bit so that Kairi could get into the frame. "You are absolutely adorable!"

Kairi giggled. "Thank you, Mrs. Valentine. So are you!"

"Do you have a boyfriend, Kairi?"

Riku, who could overhear the conversation, stiffened at the sound of that question. He wasn't sure what Kairi would say but her answer seemed to come as easy as breathing.

"No, not right now."

Riku felt a slight ping in his chest. But it was true. It wasn't like they were officially together. He put his ego aside and maintained his cool.

"Awww, such a shame. You're such a pretty little thing, I thought all the boys would be all over you." She glared at Sora and began whispering to him loudly. "Sora! This is your chance! Sweep her off her feet before someone else does!"

Sora nearly dropped his phone. "W-Whaaat?" Judging by the look on Kairi's face, one of amusement, she totally heard Yuffie's not-so-subtle hint. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Well, whaddaya think, genius?" Yuffie pointed her phone at Vincent again, who didn't bother sparing her a glance as he continued cutting his steak. "Don't be like Mr. Grumpy Pants here and make her wait too long! Sheesh, good thing I stepped up or else you, Xi-Xi, and Vani might not even _be_ here right now." She put the camera back on herself. "And I must say, I do see some _beautiful_ babies being made between you and—"

"Sorry, Mom! I think my battery is dying! I'll catch you later!"

Sora ended the call before Yuffie could say anything else to embarrass him further and groaned in agony. The worst part was he knew his mom was doing it on purpose, too. Kairi, on the other hand, found the entire display endlessly entertaining and it sent her into a fit of giggles.

Despite the humiliation, Sora enjoyed the sound of her laughter. He rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that..."

Kairi shook her head. "I don't mind at all. Your mom is really cute. Besides, it's better than what happened in that janitor's closet, right?"

Sora blushed when he thought back to that. He had almost forgotten about it. "O-Oh, yeah. I guess you're right."

"Janitor's closet?" Riku's ears perked up. "Do I even want to know what the hell that's supposed to mean?"

"I-It's nothing!" Sora stammered, waving his arms frantically.

"Table number sixty-four! Table number sixty-four!" Aqua announced into the microphone on stage.

"Oh, uh, guess that's us!" Sora said, quickly rushing over to the buffet. The embarrassing moments just kept piling up. Still, Kairi smiled at him. Sora thought it was a painful smile. He didn't know what it meant.

When Sora was out of earshot, Kairi looked over to Riku. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked.

"He'll be fine," Riku said. "He just gets a little nervous around you sometimes."

Kairi giggled. "Yeah, I'm starting to notice."

Most of their table got up to fix themselves a plate but Xion stayed put. Watching Roxas and Naminé had resulted in a loss of her appetite. Roxas turned towards Naminé. "You hungry?"

"Oh, um, no. I'm okay," she answered. Her eyes shifted to all of the people in her path to the buffet section.

"Hmmm," Roxas hummed.

She caught his stare and looked away. "What?"

"Just trying to figure out how much I buy that," he said. He narrowed his eyes before snapping his fingers. "Got it! I don't buy it at all. The truth is you just don't want to navigate your way over there because you think you'll be getting in other people's way."

That was his first guess? He knew her too well. Truthfully, she wouldn't mind a bite. But she denied it regardless. "Maybe I'm just not hungry? Is that out of the realm of possibility?"

Roxas grinned at her knowingly. "What did you eat today?"

Naminé began twiddling her thumbs. All she had was a bagel and coffee for breakfast. "That's... well, y-you know, hehe..."

Roxas shook his head. "Fine. I'll fix you a plate myself." As he stood to his feet, he felt her tug on his sleeve.

"W-Wait," Namine cried. "You're not just going to leave me here by myself, are you?"

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked. "Xion's right here." Xion pretended like she didn't hear him. At least he remembered she existed.

Naminé glanced at Xion for a split second. She was there, sure, but Naminé still viewed her as a stranger. Wouldn't it be a bit awkward if they were the only two sitting at the table by themselves? What were they supposed to talk about? And for whatever reason, Xion didn't look like she was in a very friendly mood.

"Um, m-maybe I'll just tag with you," Naminé said.

Roxas chuckled. "If you insist."

Xion felt her temper flare up. What was that supposed to mean? What, did Naminé think she was too good to hang around Xion now? Well, good riddance. She wouldn't have to watch those two whispering in each other's ear and snickering every five seconds as if they had some hilarious inside joke that just _never_ seemed to stop being funny for some reason.

Xion grimaced as Naminé clung to Roxas' arm as he led them through the crowded area. Was the touching really necessary? She had two perfectly functional legs of her own. Xion didn't even realize she had been crushing a glass cup until she heard it crack underneath her strong grip. Luckily she didn't break it entirely or else her hand would be stained red. Still, she felt guilty for breaking it in the first place and discreetly hid it under the table while assuming an innocuous posture.

Meanwhile near the buffet, Snow was sitting a few rows down. He was reluctantly giving Naminé and Kairi some space. It was the least he could do for forcing them to tag along. Kairi obviously didn't mind—she would have wanted to come regardless. Naminé was a different story.

But something wasn't sitting right with him. He and Claire, who were sitting with a few of Claire's old friends, including Aqua, already had their table called to pick out their meal. But Snow wasn't able to pay attention to his food as he saw Naminé clinging to some blond boy by the buffet area. Snow watched as the boy hunched over slightly so that Naminé could whisper something in his ear, resulting in him throwing his head back with laughter.

Claire noticed the look on her brother-in-law's face. "Your food's getting cold," she observed.

"Who the hell is that kid?"

She followed his line of sight until she spotted Naminé and Roxas picking and pointing at the selections laid out for them. "I think that's Roxas. Looks like he's all grown up. I haven't seen him since he was just a little boy."

"Wait. Cloud's boy?"

"You didn't know?"

"Knew the name, didn't care enough to attach it to a face." He narrowed his eyes. "I don't like it."

Claire groaned. "I'm sure they're just friends. This might be news to you but teenagers do have those."

"Since when did she have an opportunity to make friends? I thought she stayed home all day."

"Maybe they just met tonight."

"With the way she's touching him? You must have forgotten this is Naminé we're talking about. She wouldn't cling to just anybody."

"You're overthinking. You make it sound like they're doing something scandalous. She probably doesn't want to lose him in the crowd. How about you trust your children for once and stop treating them like babies? It's just a dinner party."

"Yeah? Well, it was also _just_ a visit to the museum with your sister and look how that turned out," Snow growled. "The last time I trusted someone outside our family, I lost Serah to someone I thought I could call a friend. I almost lost Naminé on the same day. So, excuse me for not jumping for joy and trusting at the turn of the wind." He paused for a moment, his eyes softening once they settled on Naminé again. "I thought maybe it'd be for the best if she stayed in the house so she wouldn't have to experience something that devastating ever again, but... now I think I'd rather have her here where I can keep an eye on her. Maybe it's better she doesn't stay in the house by herself so much." His eyes shifted to Roxas and he narrowed them into slits. "Just in case there was someone I didn't know anything about."

"Wow," Claire said. "And here I thought you had actually grown up and were looking out for her best interest.

"I am," he said with conviction. "All I'm doing is making sure that I can protect her."

"There's a difference between protecting and sheltering. Naminé and Kairi are both sixteen now. For the most part, I'd say they're mature enough to make their own decisions. They have a right to a life outside of the house without you scouring over them like a hawk. Look at him," she said, pointing to Roxas as he smiled down at Naminé warmly. "Does he really look dangerous to you?"

Snow didn't waver. "They never _look_ dangerous. But that's not always the full story, is it?"

Claire gave up and returned to eating her food. "You haven't changed a bit. Still stubborn as ever, I see." She picked up her glass ready to take a sip but she decided to say one last thing. "Keep this up and you're going to push them away, Snow."

Snow didn't respond.

As Roxas and Naminé returned to the table with their plates in hand (Roxas being elected to carry both of theirs), Naminé accidentally bumped into someone's chair.

Immediately, she apologized frantically. "S-Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

"No biggie, just watch where you're going next time, okay? I absolutely cannot afford to have this dress ruined," said the familiar-sounding high-pitched voice.

Naminé took a closer look at the person in question and it happened to be none other than Selphie Tilmitt. Naminé felt her breathing pick up as an uncomfortable queasiness dropped to the pit of her stomach.

Selphie scanned the blonde scrupulously. The girl seemed familiar but the shades covering her eyes made her less easy to discern. "Have I met you somewhere before?"

Naminé felt like she reverted back to square one. Her voice wasn't working. Why did this keep happening? Was it some sort of mental affliction? Another face at their table seemed to recognize her right away.

"Naminé?" Tidus asked, getting out of his chair. "Is that you?"

When Selphie heard the name, it all came back to her. She masked a smug grin. "Ohhhhhh, Naminé! How are you, girl?"

Roxas stepped in front of Selphie, blocking her attempt at giving Naminé what was sure to be a disingenuous hug. "Don't even think about it, Selph."

"Whaaaaat? You're so mean, Roxy! I just wanted to say hi!" Selphie insisted. "Look, I am like, _so_ sorry for what happened at the party, Naminé. Guess I just got butter fingers." She gave a cute giggle to make herself seem innocent. "No hard feelings, I hope?"

"I-I... I, um—"

"Tell you what," Selphie said, cutting Naminé off. She moved past Roxas and held one of Naminé's hands. "How about I make it up to you? We should totally hang out sometime! We could grab a bite, go shopping, maybe I could even give you a tour of the islands. I feel like I owe it to you after totally ruining your dress that night. What do you say?"

Naminé averted her eyes. She wasn't one to hold a grudge and had no ill will towards Selphie for what she did but she didn't trust her as far as she could throw her either.

Near their table, Xion and Kairi watched the scene from a distance, both equally perturbed. Kairi didn't want Selphie so much as looking at her sister, let alone touching her and acting like she was friendly again.

"Okay, we might get kicked out for this," Kairi said, "but I'll rip her hair out. You keep her still for me."

"Fine by me," Xion said, cracking her knuckles.

But before Naminé could respond or Kairi and Xion do something drastic they would both surely regret, Sora came up from behind Selphie with a glass of grape juice and a slice of chocolate cake in hand. "Whoa! W-Whoaaa!"

Sora, being his clumsy self, nearly toppled over as he stumbled and spilled his drink all over Selphie's yellow and blue plaid cami dress, leaving a big stain over the fabric as well as accidentally slamming his cake into her face. Selphie was left mortified as she quickly wiped the icing away from her eyes, blinking rapidly. "Sora! What the heck?!"

Sora gave an embarrassed smile while rubbing the back of his head. "Oops... guess I just got butter fingers, huh?"

The rest of the group found the display of humiliation on Selphie's face to be highly satisfying. Kairi thought the taste of victory couldn't have been sweeter as she and Xion were rolling with intentionally loud and obnoxious guffaws while pointing at Selphie. It served her right. Riku, who was returning from the buffet with his plate, smirked knowingly while Axel came up from behind him and joined Kairi and Xion with the obnoxious laughter himself. Even Tidus had trouble holding back a snicker he tried to hide from his girlfriend. A few of the onlookers nearby, who didn't understand the context as to why this was so funny, merely watched the scene with mild curiosity and maybe a hint of amusement. They returned to their conversations, writing them off as silly teenagers.

Selphie gave Sora the most evil glare she could muster before she dragged a confused Tidus away towards the bathroom to get cleaned.

Roxas smirked at Sora. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Sora pretended to look harmless. "Maaaaaaybe." He gave Naminé a wink. She smiled back appreciatively. She made it a point to remember that Sora seemed like a nice guy.

After the laughter died down, everyone returned the table and dug into their meals. Naminé had a little bit of trouble eating, as she was uncomfortable eating in front of strangers, but she did her best to get most of it down. It helped that all of the food was nothing short of delicious.

The table was lively and animated in conversation. Even Xion seemed to be in a better mood after witnessing Selphie get what was coming to her. Naminé remained quiet throughout the duration of it but she silently giggled at their banter. Axel would always say something that would make Larxene assault him in one way or another; sometimes he would even get chastised by Kairi or chewed out by Xion for some of his more outlandish comments. Riku would often poke fun at Sora which would often result in a silly contest between the two, such as which one of them could chug their drinks the fastest (grape juice and paopu punch, since they weren't allowed to have alcohol). Roxas, Axel, and Xion often roasted each other at every opportunity they could get and threatened to expose each other's embarrassing secrets more than once. Axel's bandmates, such as Saïx, Demyx, and Lexaeus would often stop by to check on them as well since there wasn't enough room to fit all of them.

"Your friends are funny," she whispered in Roxas' ear.

"Ehh, they have their moments," Roxas said back. "Annoying is the word I'd prefer to use." Despite the jab, it came off as lighthearted.

Despite not participating in the conversation much and resorting to simply giggling silently at their antics, Naminé felt at ease. There was something natural about the way everyone bounced off of each other. Part of her felt like she didn't belong and was the odd one out, but another part of her _wanted_ to feel like she belonged with them.

Roxas felt someone tap him on the shoulder. He briefly hoped that it wasn't anyone looking to cause trouble. When he turned around, he saw a face he wasn't expecting. It was Noctis Lucis Caelum, the prince of Lucis. He had his hands stuffed into his pockets and he gave off a very casual demeanor.

"Hey, Roxas."

"Noctis," Roxas said, a little surprised. "Nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you. Congratulations on the engagement to Lunafreya. Is she here?"

"Yep, right over there." Noctis looked back at Lunafreya, who sat along with a few of his best friends, Gladiolus, Prompto, and Iris to name a few. Luna's father sat elsewhere.

"Thanks for letting us borrow Ignis in the cooking department," Roxas said. "The guy's a genius."

Noctis shook his head. "Don't mention it. Just came by to see how you were doin'. Your dad did a lot for my old man during the war. So, I guess I owe you guys one."

"Nah, don't worry about it." Roxas smiled. "But I appreciate it."

"I also wanted to warn you."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. He exchanged a curious look with Naminé, who overheard their conversation and also happened to be intrigued by whatever Noctis meant. "Warn me?" Roxas asked.

Noctis nodded his head in the direction of Rufus Shinra, who was in the middle clanking his glass with one of his colleagues. "That guy has been sending his stooges to hassle me all night, trying to get me to leave Lucis and become a part of SOLDIER even though I'm the heir to the throne. He's a persistent pain in the ass. Gotta say, I don't trust him."

Roxas narrowed his eyes at Rufus. "That's something we can agree on."

"The people he's sent my way all happened to bring up your name a few times," Noctis continued. "I think he's going to try to convince you to join them, too. Just thought I should let you know. You don't have to follow what that clown says, you hear?"

"Yeah, wasn't planning to," Roxas admitted. Roxas wasn't too surprised but he appreciated the tidbit regardless. "Thanks for the heads up, man."

"Well, well, well. Looks like I found the man of the hour," said a third voice. Roxas recognized it all too well. Seifer approached them with a cocky sneer. Despite wearing a tuxedo, he still wore his signature beanie.

"I think you have me confused with that guy," Roxas said, pointing to the large picture of Cloud on stage. "He's a pretty niche dude. You might not have heard of him."

Seifer scoffed as he placed a hand on Noctis' shoulder—something the prince didn't appreciate. "As far as I'm concerned, that might as well be you up there for what we have in mind for you." Seifer turned towards Noctis. "And hey, if it ain't Mr. Royalty. Guess it's a two-for-one deal, huh?"

Noctis sighed. "I'm gettin' pretty sick of this SOLDIER crap, Seifer."

"Same here," Roxas agreed. "How many times do I have to say no? I want nothing to do with SOLDIER."

"Chicken wusses," Seifer grumbled. "Both of you don't get it. It ain't about what you want anymore. Whether you like it or not, you're two of the most talented guys out there when it comes to combat training. We need you. We're on a mission to save thousands—no, _billions_ of lives and you're just gonna sit out?"

"For the record, running a kingdom isn't exactly at the top of my priority list either," Noctis clarified, "but it's better than whatever the hell those guys up at Shinra have up their sleeves."

"What? Do you guys think Shrina is evil or somethin'?" Seifer asked. "I think you got the wrong impression."

"I've heard rumors," Noctis said somewhat cryptically. "A lot of people left because of some shady, under the table dealings going on behind closed doors. Cloud was one of them."

"So, you're just gonna ignore all of the good SOLDIER has done?" Seifer asked. "You think your precious kingdom in Lucis has a squeaky clean track record?"

"I think there's a slight difference between an entire kingdom and a company run by one, greedy, corporate bastard," Noctis said, his somewhat bored eyes never wavering.

Seifer grunted. "SOLDIER is on a mission. I'm going to be joining them as soon as I graduate to look into a cure for the geostigma crisis that's been plaguing the lives of billions across the worlds. You're tellin' me that doesn't sound like a worthy cause, Noct?" He looked towards Roxas. "And you're gonna back out over a pipe dream?"

"It's not a pipe dream," Roxas argued. "The last thing I need is to be tied down to some militia where the future is unknown. I'm not my father, okay? I need something a little more... lowkey. The simple life. And for me, nothing would be better than traveling the worlds in a gummi ship."

Seifer looked unimpressed. "How's that workin' out for you?"

Roxas wasn't able to give an answer. He was a dreamer but he had a problem with turning the dream into a reality. He had no ship, no license, and no formal training. He hadn't heard back from McDuck Enterprises for gummi ship amateurs. Piloting seemed like the only thing that would offer him some semblance of escape from the pressure.

"That's what I thought," Seifer said satisfyingly. "Always the chicken wuss. Can't expect you to step it up when it counts. You ought to learn somethin' from your old man, Rox. Somethin' about honor and integrity. Far as I'm concerned, if you got the power, then you got the obligation to put it to good use."

"Sorry Seifer, guess you're just more noble than us," Noctis replied sarcastically.

Seifer crossed his arms. "So, that's just it? Not even gonna consider it?"

"Give it up already," Roxas said. He looked into Seifer's frustrated eyes with his own disinterested ones. "I told you before—it's not for me."

The two glared at each other in silence. Noctis and Naminé looked back and forth between them. One might have thought time stood still. Seifer narrowed his eyes before breaking his silence.

"Why does talkin' to you always tick me off?"

Roxas grinned. "I dunno. Maybe it's destiny."

More of the destiny crap. Seifer couldn't relate but he had to respect Roxas for sticking to his convictions. Roxas came off as a laid back guy but he wasn't a pushover. "I guess that's where we're different. I don't feel like cooperating with destiny. It sounds suffocating. I prefer to shape my own path."

Roxas took his eyes away from Seifer. "I don't think that's how it works. I'm sorry to disappoint you but sometimes things just don't work out the way you want them to and you can't do anything about it."

"You said it, not me."

"Is Seifer giving you boys a hassle?" asked another voice. Roxas groaned. The hits just kept coming. They were being approached by Rufus Shinra, his strides confident and calculated as he approached the table. "Sorry about that. It's actually me who's been sending him to recruit you two. I apologize for any inconvenience on his behalf."

"What?" Seifer growled.

Noctis looked at the man with indifference. "What do you want?"

"To make our galaxy a healthier, stress-free environment." The man extended his hand. "Rufus Shinra. Owner of the Shinra establishment."

Noctis didn't bother shaking his hand. "I know who you are."

Rufus seemed unfazed by Noctis and his lack of manners and simply extended it towards Roxas instead. Roxas took his hand. "Not to make things awkward but didn't you and my dad have issues with each other? Why would Mom invite you to this?" Roxas asked.

"I gave her my sincerest apologies for whatever scuffle Cloud and I had before. The past is the past. I consider myself a rational person. I'm allowed to let bygones be bygones and I can't deny what your father did for the worlds was commendable. Celebrating his honor is the least I can do."

Roxas and Noctis weren't buying it but decided to humor him anyway.

"I see," Roxas said.

"So, I take it you've heard of our offer to join SOLDIER?" Rufus asked.

"A few too many times, with all due respect," Noctis said.

Rufus sighed. "I don't mean to come off as pushy but we really would appreciate your service. You both seem to have certain skill sets that could prove useful to our organization. Roxas, with your training you've received from your father in wielding a Keyblade. Noctis, with your versatility and the powers you've received from your family's bloodline. I know it's a big decision for folks of your age but I see bright things in both of your futures."

"Pass," Noctis said without hesitating. "I'm sure there's plenty of other people out in the universe who'll do just fine. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Before Noctis left, he swiftly handed Roxas a ripped sheet of paper. Roxas read the contents. It contained what appeared to be Noctis' number on it with a caption that said "we'll talk later." He wasn't getting hit on, was he? No, Noctis didn't seem like the type. But Roxas wasn't sure why he would give his number to him.

"Fair enough," Rufus said with a sigh. "And you?" he asked Roxas.

Roxas sighed. He did think Seifer had a point. He probably could be of use to certain causes. It didn't help that Paine chewed his butt earlier either. But was it worth giving up on his dreams? Roxas spared a glance towards Naminé. As if sensing his thoughts, she shook her head, as if telling him to not go through with it. That gave him a bit of confidence in his resolve.

"I don't think I'm up for it, Mr. Shinra," Roxas said.

Rufus waved him off. "Completely understandable. You don't need to have an answer now. You have plenty of time to think about it, after all. In fact, I want you to give it more thought." He smirked at Naminé. "Who's this lovely little lady? Girlfriend?"

While Naminé felt her cheeks heat up, Roxas waved his assumption off. "No, no. Nothing like that."

"You seem close, though. I understand not wanting to be apart from the people you care about but sometimes you have to think about what's best for everybody. Not just for yourself. It's not an easy decision, I know, but we do need one before the end of the summer so that the preparations will be set by the time you get to your senior year of high school. On the bright side, that's plenty of time to think about it." Rufus pulled out a card with a sleek design on it from his pocket on the front of his jacket and handed it to Roxas. "If you ever have questions or want to contact me with an inquiry, refer to this. I'd like this to go as smoothly as possible."

Roxas looked at the card and felt something bubble in the pit of his stomach. He didn't want to let his temper get the best of him but he wasn't going to pretend like he was naïve either.

"You know, I may not want to live the same kind of life my father had but that doesn't mean I didn't respect him and everything he's done for the galaxy. I'm sure he left your organization for a good reason and I bet it was for something you won't tell me." Roxas looked Rufus square in the eye before crumpling his card into a jagged ball. "Sorry, Rufus, but there's no way I'm signing with you."

At the show of disrespect, Seifer snatched Roxas by the collar of his shirt and nearly jerked him out of his seat. The rest of the table, who hadn't been paying attention or even heard whatever they were talking about, looked over to see what all the fuss was about. Even a few people from nearby tables craned their heads to see what was going on. Naminé cupped her hands over her mouth. Was a fight about to break out?

"You little shit—"

"Enough," Rufus said calmly, interrupting Seifer. "How can we blame the guy for being skeptical when you do things like that? As far as I'm concerned, he has every right to his reluctance."

"But...!" Seifer glared at Roxas one more time before forcefully letting go. Roxas returned the glare and fixed his shirt.

"All I'm asking, Roxas, is that you consider it," Rufus continued. "We're offering you a spot as a first-class recruit. There's a lot of perks that come with an honor like that. Including your mother. Are you sure you want to pass up an opportunity like that?"

Before Roxas could answer, someone else joined the conversation. "What's going on here?" Tifa stood next to Rufus with her right fist bumped against her hip. She didn't look very happy. "I thought we had an agreement, Rufus."

Rufus smiled. "My apologies. I only came by to round up Seifer here. Very sorry for any disturbance I might have caused."

Tifa crossed her arms. "Just don't bother him again, okay?"

"Of course, Mrs. Strife." Rufus bowed in respect and beckoned Seifer to follow him. Tifa glared at him as he went along before approaching Roxas.

"Sorry about that," Tifa apologized. "I told that idiot not to speak to you. I figured he'd find some way to sneak over here."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "Why'd you invite that guy?"

Tifa gave him an apologetic look. "Well, he did offer to pay for a lot of this. My only request was that he not go bothering you about that silly SOLDIER business but it doesn't take half a brain cell to figure he wouldn't stand by his word. Don't worry. I won't let them bully you into anything you don't want to do, okay?"

Roxas returned a look of appreciation. "Thanks, Mom. Oh! I got someone I want you to meet." He moved out of the way to present Naminé. "This is a friend of mine, Naminé. Nam, this is... well, my mom."

"Hello! It's a pleasure to meet you," Tifa said. "I've heard Roxas mention you before. Glad I can finally meet this mysterious friend of his."

Naminé got out of her chair and shook Tifa's hand. She wanted to be sure to make a good impression if it were his mother, right? "H-Hi, Mrs. Strife. Um, I..." She wanted to find more to say but she wasn't sure what would be appropriate. She decided to just keep quiet.

Tifa leaned over to Roxas to whisper in his ear. "What's with the shades?"

"I told you she was a little shy, remember? Eye contact is a struggle for her."

"Ohhhh," Tifa said. With that in mind, Tifa gave Naminé a reassuring look. She wanted to ensure Naminé that she was safe. "Well, Naminé, I'm glad I got to meet you! You should stop by our place some time. We'd love to have you."

Naminé bowed. "Th-Th-Thank you, ma'am...!"

Tifa placed her hands on Namine's shoulders. "You don't have to do that," she assured. "I'm not royalty or anything. Far from it honestly." She chuckled. "Don't stress, okay?"

"O-O-Okay..."

"I'll catch you kids later, okay?" Tifa said before she scurried off to take care of something.

"I think I blew it," said a downtrodden Naminé.

"What do you mean?" Roxas asked, genuinely confused.

"Y-Your mom probably thinks I'm weird," she clarified.

"I'm sure she doesn't. And even if she does, who cares? You really should stop worrying so much about what other people think about you, Nam. Just be yourself. Embrace the weirdness."

"...So, you admit that I'm weird?"

Roxas sighed as he face palmed.

On the other side of the table, Sora was leaning back in his chair with his hands tied behind the back of his unruly hair. He was actually kind of bored. Riku and Kairi had been chatting away most of the night. He would try to join in on the conversation when he could but most of the time he felt a bit out of place, like he was interfering in their personal time. He knew how Riku felt about Kairi and he didn't want to be a third-wheel. Not to mention, he was still having difficulty looking Kairi in the eye. It would be a lot easier to wish for the best for Kairi and his best friend in whatever kind of relationship they had if she just weren't so darn pretty, and nice, and funny, and... he was just going to stop himself right there.

Unknown to Sora, Kairi was a little disappointed every time Sora checked out of the conversation. She liked getting to know him better and she thought she could never get tired of his and Riku's exchanges. She could sense something bothering him, though. She just wasn't sure what. She also never asked him what happened at the mall a few weeks ago when Aqua picked him up. Maybe it had something to do with that?

"Kairi? Are you listening?"

Kairi snapped out of it when Riku's voice cut through her thoughts. "Oh, I'm sorry! Could you run that by me again?"

Riku wasn't sure how he felt about Kairi looking at Sora over her shoulder for a good thirty seconds there but he assumed it wasn't a big deal. He had been doing that a lot lately. Just writing off those few strange incidents as nothing. He simply didn't want to overthink anything.

"Sora," said a mature female voice. Sora, Riku, and Kairi turned around to find Aqua standing behind them. "Do you mind coming to meet some people for me?"

Sora blinked. "Oh, uh, sure."

Kairi and Riku wished Sora good luck as Aqua led him to a table where the many retired members of the High Council sat. The current roster of High Council members sat at the table right next to theirs. Sora recognized a few of them, particularly the ones who acted as the current roster of the High Council. Squall seemed to scoff at his arrival while King Mickey greeted Sora happily. Terra was another friendly face. Cecil was always very respectful and supportive of him. He always thought Auron, while aloof, was the coolest. The rest of the retired members were figures Sora wasn't familiar with.

"For legal reasons, we had to disclose your status as our current... you-know-what wielder to our former High Council members since they still partake in global affairs from time to time," Aqua explained. "So, they wanted to meet you properly. Sora, I'd like you to meet Master Yen Sid, King Regis, Ansem the Wise, King Triton, and Master Xehanort."

Sora gave them a wave and smile that went along with his overly casual demeanor. "How's it goin'?"

The reactions of the members of the council ranged from confusion to slight amusement to indifference. "Uh, excuse him." Aqua chuckled nervously before leaning over to his ear. "You should probably bow out of respect."

"O-Oh, right." Sora quickly bowed to make up for his lack of manners. He was never good at addressing those of higher authority.

"I hope you're prepared to take on the responsibility that has been passed down to you, young man," said King Triton, who cast away his normal form as a merman to take the guise of a human in order to attend this event. It was the same magic he used to help turn his daughter into a human herself.

"I think so," Sora said, his voice not sounding too confident.

"You think?" Triton repeated. "Your resolve must be stronger than that. As the key bearer, you must already know one's job is to maintain the balance between light and darkness. I used to believe that the Keyblade was a plague that only shattered peace and wrought chaos and that it should never interfere with the plights of other worlds. But when I saw the good that young Zachary and Ms. Brandford brought during their tenures, I realized how presumptuous I was in my judgment. They changed the lives of many. I expect a great deal of you, young man."

"If you got what it takes," Squall said, taking a sip from his glass.

That was a lot of pressure to put on someone his age, wasn't it? Regardless, Sora bowed out of respect. "I'll... do my best, sir."

"Ease up a bit, Triton," Ansem the Wise said with a hearty chuckle. "If this is whom the Keyblade has deemed worthy, then I'm sure we're in good hands. We have no reason to mistrust its judgement, correct?"

"Agreed," Regis said. Yen Sid merely nodded, his stoic face never wavering.

"With all due respect, Master Ansem, his worth has yet to be proven," Squall said. "We don't know what the Kingdom Key saw in him but it's not out of the question that this is only a placeholder. There was a time when it switched masters, after all."

Sora clenched his fists. Squall always knew how to get under Sora's skin. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you better step up when you need to step up," Squall said, glaring back at Sora without blinking. Sora gulped underneath his harsh stare and dialed his temper back a bit. Mainly because he himself wasn't sure if he could step it up when he was needed. Maybe Squall was right.

"Squall," Aqua said in a chastising voice. "Be nice."

Squall merely closed his eyes and took a sip of his drink.

"Well, gosh. I think Sora will do just fine!" King Mickey said. "The Kingdom Key hasn't failed us before so I don't think we have any reason to believe it will now. All Sora has to do is follow his heart and I know he'll touch many others in need."

His heart? Sora wasn't exactly sure what that would entail but he appreciated Mickey for always coming to his defense. He smiled at him. "Thank you, Your Majesty." He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, uh, I guess I oughta get back to my friends?"

"Sure, I think we've said enough," Aqua said. "We'll have a more proper meeting at a more appropriate time and place. There are some things the High Council want to discuss with you, Sora. For now, let's leave it at that."

"It was, um, great meeting you all," Sora said.

Master Xehanort looked at Sora with much intrigue as he rubbed his goatee. "Likewise."

Sora shook each of their hands. Master Xehanort in particular seemed to have a tight grip when Sora went in for the shake. His sneer was a little unnerving, Sora thought, but maybe that was how he naturally looked.

"'Till we meet again, Sora," Master Xehanort said in his raspy voice.

Sora did his best to hide his discomfort. "Yeah, sure thing."

The rest of the night seemed to go along smoothly. Many in the audience volunteered to get up on stage and share a story about some kind of interaction or experience they've had with Cloud. The stories ranged from funny, to heartwarming, to heartbreaking. Last, but not least, it was Tifa's turn to approach the microphone. She seemed a little shy in front of such a wide audience but she had been through far worse in her life that she was able to push through it. Many applauded her appearance on stage. Axel inappropriately wolf-whistled her, causing Roxas to send a dirty look his way.

"Thank you so much," Tifa said as the applause died down. "I just want to say thank you so much to each and every single one of you for coming here tonight. It really does mean the world to me. It's a beautiful thing for me to see so many people come together to celebrate everything my late husband did during his time as a guardian. I feel his spirit is still with us in ways we may not always notice. The fact that he's brought all of us together on a special night like this is proof our memories of him will be what keeps him alive."

The audience clapped once again. Tifa saw Roxas in the midst of the crowd and smiled.

"I'd also like to thank my son, Roxas, for his continued support," Tifa said, her voice cracking slightly. "He's... the best gift that Cloud could have ever given me. Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve him and everything he's done to keep me level headed in a world where my husband is no longer with us. Roxas, I love you to my core."

Roxas was starstruck as all eyes in the room were once again on him as they applauded and cheered. Roxas watched his mother wipe her eyes on stage.

"I'm sorry, I just—I told myself I wouldn't get emotional today but he's all I have left."

Roxas did his best to give her a smile while he held back his own tears. It was overwhelming to see his mom nearly breakdown like that in front of so many people when she was usually able to keep it together. He and his mom had been through a lot.

While Tifa went on to speak about many funny stories she could recall about herself and Cloud, Roxas excused himself. Naminé watched him curiously as he got up from his seat and made his way to the back of the room. Throughout the night, Roxas had become her safety net so she wasn't comfortable without him. It was kind of funny. She came to the party expecting to stick with Kairi the whole time. Instead, she had been following Roxas around like a lost puppy. She decided to follow him to see what was wrong. Xion noticed the both of them getting up as well.

Roxas returned to the balcony Paine had dragged him to earlier. He needed some fresh air. He leaned his arms against the rails and admired the full moon and the stars glittering against the midnight backdrop. His mother always taught him about the existence of another side where hearts go after they pass on from the land of the living. It was a nice thought when he was a child but as he grew older, he began to question it. Was there really an afterlife? Was there really a chance his father was looking down at them at this moment? He didn't have anything to go off of other than his mother's word that he would understand someday.

Roxas went into his pocket and fished out the balled up card Rufus had given him earlier. He ripped the card into two and tossed it into the air, watching as the evening breeze carried it through the night.

"Roxas?"

Roxas found Naminé standing by the doorframe with a curious look and her sketchpad in hand. At least, what he perceived as curious due to her eyes being covered by her shades.

"Sorry," he said, putting on a friendlier demeanor. "I just needed some air. I should have told you."

Naminé stepped towards him until she was leaning against the railing herself. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm fine," Roxas assured. "Just needed some time to think."

"About what?"

"About what I'm going to do with myself," he answered after a moment. "Or where I belong or what I'm supposed to do. I've felt like I've had all this pressure and expectations put on me and I'm not sure how to handle it. But I think I'm starting to come to terms with it."

"Sounds pretty deep. For you, anyway."

"Thank—hey, wait. What do you mean, for me?"

Naminé snickered. She looked at his smile through the tint of her sunglasses. His company was always so pleasant. Well, almost always. To think she almost wouldn't have been there to experience this moment with him if it hadn't been for her father dragging her there in the first place. The thought made her feel a little guilty.

Roxas noticed her frown. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"I... have a confession to make," Naminé said hesitantly.

Roxas crossed his arms. "What is it? You can tell me."

"I, um... I didn't really come here because I wanted to," she admitted. "Not at first, anyway. I mean, I'm glad I came because it turned out to be really fun but... I was actually planning on not coming, even after Kairi tried talking me into it. My dad forced me to come because I guess he wants to keep an eye on me or something." She lowered her head in shame. "I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Aren't you mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad?" he asked amusedly.

"Because I'm not here because it was my decision, like you said it should be. I-I mean... it's not like I came because I'm a good friend or because I'm making progress coming out of my comfort zone. I didn't have a choice in the first place and if I did, it wouldn't have resulted in me being here right now."

"But you _are_ here," Roxas said. "That's what matters in the end, right?"

"But I—"

"Listen," Roxas interrupted gently. "Whether you wanted to come or not, you still did. You still went through the trouble of finding something to wear. You still walked through those doors. You even let me introduce you to my friends. You didn't have to do any of that, but you did. That has to count for something." He smiled. "You're trying. That's all that matters to me."

Naminé couldn't look him in the eyes but didn't resist a shy smile of her own. "You're so mushy."

Roxas chuckled. "Yeah, Xion gets on me about that sometimes."

Naminé still felt a little guilty. She should have had the resolve to face her fears and take the challenge head on in the first place. If not for herself, then for Roxas. She tried to convince herself this was for her own sake but she needed to keep his feelings in mind as well. And seeing that look of shear joy in his eyes when he first laid eyes on her was something she was glad she didn't miss out on. She promised herself she would make it up to him, even if he didn't feel like she needed to. For their next outing, and yes, there would be a next, she would go of her own volition. Because he was her friend and he deserved it.

"Thanks, Roxas."

They settled into a comfortable silence, both of them staring at the night sky. Naminé then realized—she was relaxed. Roxas and Naminé had nothing to say to each other at that moment. It wasn't awkward. Naminé always thought long pauses between two people was always uncomfortable. She thought there was this constant pressure to fill the silence with something so that both parties don't feel as tense. But she felt at complete ease not saying anything.

"The sky is so beautiful," Naminé said, filling the lull in their conversation. Not because she was uncomfortable. Just because... she felt like it.

"It is," Roxas agreed.

Naminé pulled out her sketchpad and the pencil she stuffed inside of the binding. She began sketching a rough visual of the skyline view of Destiny Islands. It was mesmerizing to see the tropical paradise during nighttime from such a unique view point.

Roxas smiled as she scribbled in her sketchpad. "I guess that inspiration came, huh?"

She smiled back. "I guess so."

She had such a pretty smile. Roxas thought it would only be prettier if he could see the eyes meant to complement it. "Naminé, why are you still wearing those?"

She looked up from her sketching. "I told you before—I can't handle eye contact."

"Not even right now?" he asked. "Not even with me?"

Naminé bit down on her bottom lip. There was something about wearing the shades that made the night go a bit easier for her. She felt more comfortable with how it made interactions with others slightly more impersonal than necessary. "What difference would it make?"

"More than you might think." Roxas pushed himself away from the rails and approached her. "I just kinda want to see you. Those shades make me feel like there's a wall between us. You shouldn't have to hide behind these. You don't need them."

"B-But I do," she argued. "I get so nervous when people look at me, like if I'm looking at their eyes in the wrong way or they get the wrong idea or if I'm staring at people for an uncomfortable amount of time, people don't have to know what I'm looking at and—and—"

"Naminé," Roxas said, cutting her off as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Trust me."

Naminé sighed. She knew she was just making excuses. He was right. It shouldn't have been a big deal. Besides, it was only Roxas. She didn't have much trouble looking him in the eyes anymore. It would be fine as long as it was someone like him or Kairi.

"So, is it okay if I take these off?" he asked.

Naminé nodded reluctantly. Roxas took ahold of her sunglasses and gently removed them. When he did, her eyes fluttered open. It was the first time he saw her eyes the entire night. As she stared upwards at him, she was...

Breathtaking?

In the back of his mind, Roxas always found Naminé pretty ever since the moment he first laid eyes on her. But considering how Kairi had dolled her face up, it highlighted her features to near perfection. His eyes trailed down to her lips that were parted slightly—he gulped. He had a dangerous, crazy thought he would not allow himself to act on. Quite frankly, he wasn't sure where it came from but he blamed it on his dumb teenage boy bodily urges. Roxas cleared his throat before she could get nervous at his staring.

"See? You don't need these," he said.

Still, Naminé was a tad uncomfortable. Sure, she had looked him in the eyes before but not under a circumstance like this. Having her eyes exposed like this made her feel vulnerable. They say that eyes are the windows to the soul and at that moment, Roxas could peer into hers. She averted her eyes to the left.

"Hey, Naminé..." Roxas said softly. The way his name rolled off his lips was starting to make Naminé a bit weak in the knees.

"Y-Yes?"

However, any potential butterflies in her stomach at the anticipation of a romantic gesture were thrown at the window with his next words.

"Staring contest!"

"H-Huh?!"

Roxas grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look up at him. Her wide, confused eyes were locked to his intense, focused ones. They stood like that for what had to be a good five minutes. Or at the very least, Naminé thought it felt that way. Despite not knowing what was going on or where this came from, the way he declared the start of a contest so dramatically made her not want to lose. She stared back with a similar intensity to his own. A third party spectator might have thought they were furious at each other.

The contest proved difficult for Naminé. Roxas wouldn't budge, not even so much as a wince. She felt her eyes beginning to give out and the water from them threatening to leak. She clenched her teeth after what felt like an eternity of staring. But she couldn't lose. She wanted another excuse to rub it in his face.

Then he blew into her eyes, leading her to blink multiple times.

"I win!"

Naminé blinked rapidly as she tried to moisturize her dried up eyes while Roxas laughed at her expense. It was bad enough she was wearing contacts. Did he really need to blow into them? "You cheater!"

"I never said you couldn't sabotage your opponent," Roxas said cheekily.

"Wow. Thanks for letting me know, jerk."

"But hey, you see? Eye contact isn't so bad."

Was that why he initiated that? "Okay, but there's a difference between managing eye contact and an actual staring contest."

For some reason, it did help. She was making eye contact with him without an issue. It was easier when there something so silly and weird to break the ice.

"It'll get easier with time," Roxas assured. "Maybe some practice."

She sighed. "That's what they always say. It just stinks when practice involves putting yourself in situations you're not comfortable with."

As she looked over the balcony once more, Roxas found himself admiring her. She truly was more beautiful than even he had anticipated. There was something about the way her eyes had this soft, almost content look to them. The way her hair framed her porcelain face. The way her dress highlighted her slender figure that wasn't without subtle curves. She was always cute but this was different.

He only wondered if he should tell her. It wasn't always easy to predict how Naminé would react to something. Everything seemed like it had a half-and-half probability. If he were to compliment her appearance, he could see her taking the praise and thinking nothing of it just as much as he could see her rejecting his opinion and finding it to be too overwhelming to be true. But transparency was something Naminé needed to become accustomed to.

There was also the implication. Would she perceive it as some sort of confession? Roxas himself wasn't sure if he viewed Naminé in that way. Did he really like Naminé in the way Axel suggested? He sincerely didn't think so before but now—having her there with him, to see her trying to put in more of an effort, and the fact that her inner and external beauty was becoming more apparent to him...

He wasn't sure.

"Is everything okay?" Naminé asked, her voice bringing him back to the present.

"Oh, yeah," Roxas said. He hesitated before saying his next words. "It's just—I think you look really beautiful tonight. I thought I'd let you know."

While the blush was imminent, she took it better than he expected. She didn't flail her arms around like a maniac and she didn't start having a nervous breakdown. She only stared at him in surprise before settling into a content and gracious smile. "Th-Thank you, Roxas." She gulped. "I-I was... thinking the same thing about you."

He raised a brow. "That I look beautiful? I mean, I'm flattered and all, but—"

"No, goofball," she said, sending him a scowl. He was just doing that to make her say it and she knew it. "You l-look... good. Um... h-h-handsome?" That was the correct word, right?

Roxas snickered. He could never get tired of watching her squirm. "Just tell me you love me already, why don't you?"

"I take it back..."

"Oh, come on! I'm joking."

She pouted. "Can't you go five seconds without teasing me?"

"Please. I can't even go three seconds."

"There's something we agree on."

"Fine," Roxas groaned. "I'll take you out for mint chocolate chip ice cream to make up for it, Ms. I Can't Take a Joke."

"I can take a joke! Excuse me for thinking we were having a moment."

While they bantered, Xion, who was about to go check up on Roxas herself, stood around the corner listening to the echoes of their laughter.

_**Memories of Impressions** _


	12. Memories of Pain

The sunlight piercing through his window made Roxas stir out of his sleep and his eyes open into slits. Yet another beautiful day in Destiny Islands. It wasn't anything he hadn't seen before so he rolled back over in his sheets.

But with friends like his, it was never that easy.

"THIS LOOKS LIKE A GOOD SPOT TO FIND SOME INGREDIENTS?!"

Roxas shot up, entangling himself in his sheets. He stopped panicking when he heard the familiar cackles of Axel and Xion at his bedside.

"Man, I never get tired of that shit," Axel said as he plunked himself on a chair and wrapped his hands behind his head.

"Remind me why we're friends again, Xion?" Roxas grumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

"It's part of the contract," she answered with a cheeky grin.

"Gotcha," Roxas deadpanned. "What's this about ingredients?"

"For the big day, man!" Axel answered. "You know the tradition: on special occasions, we live off the junkiest of junk food and mash them together into a supreme banquet of culinary excellence," he explained in an uncharacteristically sophisticated tone. "I'm thinkin' an entree of double cheeseburgers, chocolate fudge, ice cream, and pizza with everything on it should suffice."

"Sounds like a one-way ticket to a heart attack to me," Roxas said dryly.

"That's the point," Axel concurred.

Roxas rolled his tired, drooping eyes and plopped onto his mattress, wrapping himself back into his comforter.

Xion jumped onto his bed to shake Roxas out of whatever false hope he had of getting another wink of sleep and stretched his cheeks so that Roxas was giving her a nonconsensual, rubbery smile. "Nuh uh, you didn't think we'd give up that easily, did you?"

Roxas narrowed his eyes as he looked at his alarm clock. "Why the hell are you guys here at eight-thirty in the morning?" he asked in a whiny voice.

"Whaddaya mean, why?" Axel asked. "It's thee day."

"Déjà vu anyone?" Xion asked no one in particular.

Roxas yawned. "Why does it always have to be thee day? Can't it just be a regular day where you two find someone else to bother?"

"You're really gonna act like a shit smuggler on the first day of the Guardian Festival?" Axel asked accusingly. "You and I both know there's no way you're gonna miss out on one of the biggest weeks of the year."

"A what smuggler?" Xion echoed. "We stopped by early because we wanted to see some of the attractions before it got too crowded. You know how bad it gets by noon, let alone the evening."

Roxas sighed. In his stupor, he almost forgot about the festival. "I'm not getting any sleep this morning, am I?"

"Nope," Xion and Axel said in unison.

"So, rise and shine, buttercup!" Axel said as he pulled the covers off of Roxas, exposing him in his tank top and boxers. Roxas sat up and glared at his friends' abundantly happy, smiling faces before wiping the crust out of his eyes. He needed to have a serious talk with his mom about letting those morons into his room when he was asleep.

"Well, I love breaking it to you, but I might not be able to go today," Roxas said while he rubbed his eyes.

Axel and Xion exchanged a glance before looking back at their friend with curious looks. "Why is that?" Xion asked.

"I asked Naminé if she wanted to hang out today," he answered as he rolled out of bed and looked through his oversized closet for an outfit. Xion wanted to cringe at the sound of her name. She had hoped Roxas wouldn't bring her up but it was far from a surprise.

"Ohhhh, that chick you introduced us to last night?" Axel asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "You dog."

"Not sure how many times I'm going to have to explain this but it's not like that."

"Suuuure it isn't, buddy," Axel said. "That's what they all say at first. With a cutie like that, I'm surprised you haven't already—" Axel stopped when he noticed the look Xion was giving him. "I mean, she's not that cute, but..."

Xion stopped glaring once Roxas turned around and moved past them towards his dresser. "I told you—Naminé is just a friend."

"Just a friend, huh?" Axel repeated with a scoff. "You're just askin' for it at this point." Axel noticed Xion crossing her arms. He sensed that she wanted him to make himself scarce for the moment. "Oh, right. I think I forgot something in the van so I'll be out there. Whenever you're ready, Xi."

"Yeah, I'll be out there in a sec," Xion said as she sent an appreciative look. Once alone, Xion directed her attention at Roxas. He seemed to be rummaging for a pair of pants. "So... Naminé, huh?"

"Yeah, she's great," Roxas said somewhat distantly.

"She's... something, that's for sure," Xion said, equally distant.

"Sorry if she came off a little antisocial last night. She gets nervous around new faces. You should've seen how she acted around me when we first met."

"Hmm. Well, she seems pretty comfortable around you now. I almost would've thought you were her keeper."

Roxas laughed, his mind thinking back to how a timid Naminé tugged on his sleeves and stuck close to him whenever they had to maneuver around the venue. He was even subjected to waiting for her outside the ladies room whenever she felt the need to freshen up. "I'm sure it's just because we've hung out a few times. Honestly, I'd prefer if she came to the festival with us. But, if you couldn't already tell, she doesn't get out much."

Roxas pulled off his shirt and tossed it into a bin for his dirty clothes. Xion stared shamelessly at his back, toned and shapely thanks to years of swimming and athletic training, but caught herself just before he turned around.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"Nothing," Xion assured. "I'm just a little upset that you're ditching us. You never miss out on the festival."

Roxas smiled apologetically. "Sorry. It's just that I promised Naminé."

She frowned. "You promised us first."

"I know," he said regretfully.

"You've also known us for way longer."

"Is this a competition now?" Roxas raised an eyebrow. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Xion crossed her arms. "Sorry. It's just weird, okay?" Roxas stared at her with a blank face. She couldn't get a read on his thoughts. It was starting to make Xion uncomfortable. "What's your problem?"

"Don't tell me you're jealous."

Xion burst out into laughter. "Of who? Naminé? Over you? Pfffttt!"

Roxas didn't look nearly as amused. "Okay, I get it."

"Hey, if it were any other day, she could have you. But who else am I going to totally embarrass in rumble racing if you don't come to the festival?"

"You beat me once last year." Roxas rolled his eyes. "Look, Naminé doesn't have that many friends. I'd like if she were more comfortable around the rest of you guys too. Believe me, it's not the easiest thing to do," he said with a chuckle. "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw her last night."

"Mm hm," Xion hummed.

Roxas lifted an eyebrow. "You say you're not jealous but you seem ticked."

"Hmm?" Xion smiled brightly at him. "No, of course not! I mean, sure, I'm disappointed you won't be coming with us on the first day of the festival but I think it's sweet you're going out of your way for her. As long as you're on your best behavior."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Roxas shook his head. "But hey, she came to the dinner party last night. Maybe it's not out of the question that she'd be okay coming to the festival, too. If she is, then I'll be there."

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Roxas."

"I never promised anything," he said with a grin. Then he hurried down the hall towards the bathroom and shouted over his shoulder, "Have some fun for the both of us out there!" Xion playfully stuck her tongue out at him as he passed her by but all fun and games ended when she was left alone to her thoughts.

With a sigh, she decided she didn't want to keep Axel waiting for long.

After hopping out of the shower, Roxas returned to his thankfully empty room in nothing but a towel wrapped around his lower half as he used another one to dry his damp hair. His eyes journeyed to his nightstand where he noticed a small piece of paper sitting there. It was the number Prince Noctis gave him the night before. He was still a bit lost on why Noctis gave that to him. It seemed like something he had already planned out. But why? It wasn't like they were friends. It must have been for something important.

Roxas decided to get it out of the way. He picked up his gummiphone and dialed the number he was given, deciding to multitask a bit by throwing on some clothes.

"Yo?" came the voice of a tired Noctis. He yawned shortly afterwards.

"Sounds like you've been up for hours," Roxas said.

"Yeah, I love mornings," Noctis deadpanned.

"Sorry, is this a bad time or...?"

"No, don't sweat it. I'm actually kinda glad you called," Noctis insisted.

"Listen, not that I wouldn't live for these morning chats, but why did you give me your number in the first place?"

"Because there's something I wanted to talk to you about. Something important. I didn't think the party was the right time or place for it. I wanted to figure out a place where we could meet. It'll only take a second." There was a pause. "You're going to the festival, right?"

"Uhh, about that..." Roxas trailed regretfully. "I'm not sure. I kinda made other plans."

"Well, we'll be in Destiny Islands for the rest of week until the festival's over. But I'm gonna need you to come one of these days."

"Why?" Roxas asked. "Can't you just tell me over the phone since we're here?"

"I could," Noctis admitted. "But I've got somethin' to show you, too. I think it'd be best if you saw it in person."

Roxas wasn't sure how he felt about the cryptic nature of that. "I'll keep it in mind."

"Good," Noctis said, his voice still a bit tired. "We'll talk later, then."

After hanging up, Roxas felt his stomach drop. He had a bad feeling that whatever Noctis wanted to talk to him about had to do with his father somehow. Now he was almost glad he wasn't going to the festival today.

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Kairi began. "Instead of taking part in one of the biggest holidays of the year, you two would rather make use of your time sitting around the house watching TV?"

"Yep," Naminé asserted.

"That's right," Snow agreed. The father and daughter combo took sips from their coffee mugs in what was uncanny timing.

"Cut from the same cloth, I guess," Kairi mumbled, not that she was surprised by their answers. "Daddy, I would've thought that you, at the very least, would've liked to spend your off-days from work doing something better than reading your newspaper and watching the blitzball game."

"I'm surprised that newspapers still exist," Naminé commented.

"It's nostalgic." Snow shrugged, refusing to tear his eyes away from his paper. "You'll understand when you're older. Peace and quiet is a rare commodity you'll start to appreciate. I don't have the patience for those rowdy crowds." He lifted an eyebrow at Kairi. "Besides, I thought you were hanging out with your friends today. I figure I'd ruin your fun."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I'm not going to do anything stupid. You're the one who got Aunt Claire to chaperone me, anyway. Not that I mind going with her, but geez, a little trust every once in a while would be nice."

"This coming from the girl who—"

"Point taken," Kairi interrupted, not having the patience for one of his lectures. She turned to her sister. "Guess I can't say I expected much out of you either."

"Um... ouch?" the blonde replied. "Sorry, Kairi. I don't think I have much incentive to deal with the big crowds, the long lines, the grueling heat, or the overpriced food. Just to name a few."

Kairi grinned. "What if a certain someone happened to come along? I'd say that were incentive enough."

Naminé nearly choked on her coffee but caught herself in time to gulp it down. She couldn't believe Kairi said that, especially in front of their father, who perked his ears at the suggestiveness in Kairi's tone. Did Kairi want their father to kill her?

"A certain someone, huh?" Snow asked. "Who might that be?"

"Ignore her," Naminé said with a nervous chuckle.

Snow tapered his eyes but decided to let it slide for now and returned his focus back to his newspaper. Naminé shot daggers at Kairi, who was biting her lip with amusement but still silently mouthed the word "sorry."

Naminé knew Roxas wasn't going to the festival. As far as she was concerned, he was ditching it to spend time with her. The thought made Naminé's a little flustered; Roxas was willing to cut some of his time with his best friends on the biggest annual event in the galaxy to spend time with someone as boring as her? She didn't understand it but she had to admit it was nice to have something to look forward to.

The doorbell rang, catching everyone's attention. Kairi was quick to answer the door considering there was a ninety-nine percent chance it was her Aunt Claire. Her brilliant deduction proved correct and she gave her aunt an enthusiastic hug upon greeting her.

Claire stopped by the kitchen to greet her other niece, giving her a hug as well before scowling at Snow. "You're just going to sit there on your lazy ass on a day like today?" she asked. "We could've all gone as a family."

"Hey, I don't get days off often," Snow argued. "So I'm gonna treat myself. Can't beat some good coffee and the Blitz finals. Just keep an eye on Kairi for me, will ya? Make sure she stays out of trouble." Kairi rolled her eyes to this.

"Aye-aye, Captain," Claire said sarcastically.

After Kairi and Claire parted ways, Naminé and Snow fell into a comfortable silence as the television filled in the background noise. Snow glanced up at his daughter every few moments as she contentedly sipped her coffee while watching the sports analysts talk about the big game happening later on in the evening. In that moment, Snow realized how distant they were. Claire's words from the night before echoed in his head.

"Keep this up and you're going to push them away, Snow."

As much as it pained him to admit it, she was right. He had a break from work and he wasn't using his time to bond with the only people left that were precious to him in this world.

"Naminé, are you sure you don't want to go to the Guardian Festival?" Snow asked.

The question struck Naminé odd considering how uncharacteristic it seemed of her father, but she appreciated his concern. "No thank you. I was never a big fan of the one held in Radiant Garden when we used to go there."

"Yeah, that's right," Snow said in a whimsical tone. "Your sister sure had a ball, though, pulling us in every direction. You never wanted to go on any of the rides."

Naminé shuddered at the thought. "Pretty sure I'd puke if I ever found myself on one of those suicidal twisters."

"Interesting terminology." Snow chuckled. "Well, uh... the Guardian Festival was never really for me either but your mother loved it so I pushed through. Guess that's something we have in common."

Naminé didn't make much of an effort to prolong the conversation and simply sent him a polite smile. She finished the rest of her coffee and figured she could fix Mocchi something to eat as well. While she tended to Mocchi's needs, Snow wracked his brain to come up with something to add. He didn't want to waste his free time while he had it.

"Uh, hey," he said, catching her attention as she turned around with a bowl of cat food in her hands. "Since your sister is out, maybe we could do something together."

"Something?" Naminé repeated with the slightest tilt of her head.

"Yeah, sure, you know, maybe a movie or... something? While I have the time since I might not be home tomorrow. Just didn't think you'd be interested in watching the Zanarkand Abes go up against the Kililika Beasts."

"You'd be correct." Naminé giggled. She was moments from accepting his offer before she remembered Roxas. "Well, maybe later? I'm a little tired. I think I'm going to take a nap."

"Oh, sure. I'll be here."

As Naminé headed upstairs and into her room, her mind began to wander. Before she could get too engrossed with her thoughts, she noticed Mocchi lying down next to her room. When Naminé approached the door, Mocchi opened her eyes and stared at her favorite human.

"Hey, girl," Naminé said, kneeling down to scratch Mocchi on the head. "You waiting on me?"

"More like I'm waiting on you to give me breakfast," Mocchi responded as she licked her snout.

Naminé rolled her eyes and set her bowl down inside her room, where Mocchi quickly began to dig in. "Of course you are. You little freeloader."

"So, what's on your mind?" Mocchi asked as she ate.

"Roxas," Naminé answered.

"What else is new?"

"Hush. It's just that he said he'd hang out with me today but now I'm starting to realize I'm not sure how it's going to work. If he plans on ringing the doorbell, there's no way my father would let him in. I suppose I could always hide him in my room. It's frustrating not knowing how to prepare for the worst case scenario. Or if he'll even show up."

"You could always just call and ask him," Mocchi said. "You know, like a normal person?"

"I-I hate talking on the phone, you know that," Naminé argued. "I'm just wondering if he has anything planned. Maybe he'll want to go somewhere? I know the festival is today but that's not really my scene."

"But you told him last night you felt bad for not choosing to go to the party on your own, right?" Mocchi asked. Naminé nodded. "This is a good chance to make it up to him and tell him you want to go to the festival."

"Yeah..." Naminé bit her lip. She rested her elbow on the ledge of her window and leaned into her palm. "But festivals and amusement parks were never my thing..."

"What exactly is your thing besides sulking in the house and eating ice cream by yourself while watching cartoons like the lonely cat lady you're destined to be?"

"You're so mean," Naminé whimpered.

"I'm just saying. I think Roxas would appreciate it."

Naminé sighed. "Yeah, you're probably right." The nearly cloudless sky and beaming sun did good to waver a bit of Naminé's anxiety. "On the bright side, I'd have Roxas with me. He seems to have a way of making things less... intimidating. If he weren't at the party last night, I don't know what I would've done."

"Sounds like somebody has a cruuush," Mocchi teased.

"Ugh, you sound like my sister." Normally, Naminé would've flatly denied. But she didn't. Instead, she put on a tiny smile that had a hint of playfulness. She wasn't sure if she did, but she wasn't afraid to admit that she was open to the idea. She didn't want to rush into things, though. After what happened with Tidus, who Roxas shared a lot of qualities with, she wasn't sure if she was ready to trust those instincts.

"Ooh, you didn't deny it! Just make sure I'm not in the room when you guys... nevermind."

"Mocchi!" Naminé scolded before letting out a laugh that transitioned into a delighted sigh. "It's a little exciting, you know? I never know what that dork has up his sleeve. For the longest, I've become so used to doing the same thing every day. But the idea of not knowing what lies ahead and having someone to share that experience with is—interesting, if nothing else. Roxas seems like the kind of guy who'll just pop up at any time."

And then, a familiar voice. "Well, you're not wrong."

Naminé swung her hands to her mouth to muffle her own scream as she backed up from her window before tripping over a box full of her old binders and sketching journals. When she came to, the first thing she heard was Roxas laughing at her expense as he turned rightside up and sat on the window ledge with a leg dangling.

"I think I'm starting to get Axel and Xion," Roxas said. "When it's not you on the receiving end, it's pretty hilarious."

Naminé glared at him while readjusting her glasses. "You really need to stop doing that. Are you ever going to let me know in advance when you're coming?"

Roxas stepped inside. "Honestly? Probably not," he answered with a grin as he extended a hand to her. "Who were you talking to?"

Naminé felt her cheeks heat up. "Um... myself." It wasn't a lie, at least.

"So, now you talk to yourself," Roxas said. "Just when I thought you couldn't get any quirkier."

"Well, when you've been alone for as long as I have," Naminé trailed off. "Uh, wait, h-how much of that did you hear?" she asked as she took his hand and allowed him to help her to her feet. She prayed with all of her being he didn't hear the part about having a crush.

"The first thing I heard when I reached the rooftop was something about you being excited about not knowing what lies ahead," Roxas answered. "Gotta say, I'm honored to be the one to break you out of your shell a bit."

Naminé internally sighed of relief. "For a second there, I wasn't sure if you were going to show up. I thought you might ditch me for the Guardian Festival."

"Actually, it was the other way around," Roxas said as he took it upon himself to get comfortable and plopped onto Naminé's bed, wrapping his hands behind the back of his head as he shut his eyes. "I kinda ditched my friends at the festival to hang out with you."

"I still don't get why you would do that."

"I've known those guys for years and I've been to plenty of festivals and parties with them. I think they'll live. I'd rather prioritize a newer friend. You can always count on the old ones. Besides, the festival will be going for the rest of the week. Maybe I'll go tomorrow."

"Yeah, but..." Naminé trailed, twiddling her thumbs. "...I don't want to be the reason for any rifts between you and your friends."

Roxas smiled at her. "You're not going to cause a rift between us. I'm sure they understand."

"I guess I just think the festival sounds a lot more fun than hanging out with me. Aren't I kind of boring in comparison?"

Roxas scoffed. "If I thought you were boring, I wouldn't be here."

Naminé rubbed her left arm as she sat on her bed next to Roxas. "Well, I don't think there's much we'll be able to do at my place today. My dad is downstairs and I don't think he plans on leaving, which means whatever we do, we'll have to be quiet about it."

"...Are you hitting on me?"

Naminé's eyes widened and her cheeks flushed once she realized how what she said sounded. "I meant we can't watch bad movies downstairs or something! Get your head out of the gutter."

Roxas laughed. "If you say so." He noticed Mocchi eating away across the room and sat up. "Mocchi! Come here, girl."

Mocchi peered her head up from her breakfast and licked her snout. She stared at Roxas for a moment before returning to her food.

"Guess she still doesn't like me very much," Roxas said.

Naminé gave him a slight smirk. "How many times do I have to tell you that she isn't a dog? Cats don't work like that. You have to let her warm up to you."

"How do I do that?"

"Nothing," Naminé replied curtly. "You don't choose the cat, the cat chooses you. She'll come to you once she's more familiar with you."

"Understood, sensei." Roxas tapped his chin. "Guess it's a good excuse to keep coming around more often then, huh?"

Naminé tucked some hair behind her ear. "Guess so."

Roxas cleared his throat and rolled over until he was sitting next to Naminé. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"

Her eyes widened. "You're leaving that up to me? Aren't you supposed to be the one that takes initiative?"

"I was gonna suggest another movie but it looks like that's off the table. Now, I'm kinda stumped."

"Well, I don't know what to do. I suck at coming up with plans, Roxas," she said in a whiny voice. "It's not like it's something I do often..."

Roxas crinkled his eyebrows in thought. "Is it... really such a bad thing if your father sees me?" he asked. "Don't you think it'd be better if you just introduced me? It's not like we're, um... you know."

"R-Right." Naminé kept her eyes trained on her twiddling thumbs. "I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. He gets really... overbearing. My father isn't exactly one to trust people. Even if the situation is harmless."

"Sounds kind of extreme."

"He has his reasons," she said cryptically. Though, unknown to her, Roxas understood what she meant.

Roxas rubbed the back of his head as he tried to figure something out. He inwardly admitted he could have came a bit more prepared considering it was the week of the festival when very few people went to work.

They sat in a comfortable silence until Roxas came to a conclusion. "Oh, duh. We can just go to my place," he said nonchalantly as he stood up. "You might wanna get dressed."

"Wha—w-wait a minute! Where'd that come from all of a sudden?"

Roxas raised an eyebrow. "You said it yourself: there's not much to do here. No harm in getting some sunshine every once in a while. You look like you could use some." He winked.

She glared at him for his unnecessary comment. "You better not be planning on trying anything funny."

Roxas frowned. "You better not be serious about that."

She gave a trollish smile. "I'm not. Just wanted to see your face."

Roxas cleared his throat. "Look, are you coming or not?"

Roxas wasn't wrong. Inappropriate jokes aside, what could they do cooped up in her room all day? Besides, if her father unexpectedly dropped by, that would spell all kinds of bad news. But she didn't feel like being by herself either.

"Okay," Naminé muttered. "Let's do it, I guess."

Roxas smiled. "Great."

"I-I hope you realize I'll have to get ready first," Naminé quickly clarified. "I have to take a shower and figure out what I'm going to wear and—"

"What? Aww, come on."

"Hey, even I have some dignity with how I'm presented to the outside world."

"Fair enough," Roxas relented with a sigh.

Naminé began twiddling her fingers. "Umm, you know you're not staying in my room while I shower, right? I'm going to be getting dressed in here."

Roxas felt his face flush when images of Naminé—he stopped himself right there. "I mean, I get not wanting me to see you but we're kind of backed into a corner here."

"Just go wait in Kairi's room or down the hall."

Roxas rolled his eyes. "You and I both know that'd be a dumb idea. I'll just stand in the corner of the room and keep my eyes closed."

"Nope, sorry. Get out."

"You don't trust me?"

"It's not that," Naminé assured. "It's just... w-weird."

Roxas tapped his foot impatiently. "Well, where am I supposed to go? Out the window?"

Two minutes later, Roxas found himself begrudgingly climbing out the window. He found the circumstance rather annoying considering he couldn't enjoy the AC unit filtering out the sticky, humid air inside of the Villiers residence and instead had to be submerged in his own sweat thanks to the Destiny Islands heat.

Naminé poked her head out of the window and gave him a guilty but gracious smile. "Thanks for understanding, Roxas."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Just hurry up."

Roxas sat in the grass with his back against the wall as he waited for Naminé to get ready. He tried to be as patient as he could be but the heat wasn't making it very easy for him. He could barely scroll through social media on his phone due to his sweaty fingers. After an agonizing forty-five minutes, Naminé poked her head out her window again.

"S-Sorry for the wait," Naminé said.

Roxas was quick to get up to his feet. "Thank God. Pretty sure I was seconds away from a heat stroke. Ready to go?"

"Yeah, um, I think so," Naminé said, trailing off.

"What is it?"

"I-I'm, uh... not sure what I should do," she said. "I don't think I can go out the front door. For... obvious reasons."

"Then I guess we only have one option," Roxas said, a smirk playing his lips.

Naminé gulped. "This is weird. I've never jumped out of a window before."

"It's not that bad of a jump. I've climbed up and out of there a bunch of times."

"Yeah, well, not everyone is a stalker like you." Roxas gaped at the jab. "Kidding. I just don't want to break my neck, that's all."

"You're not gonna break your neck," Roxas said exasperatingly. "I'll catch you, okay? Think of it like one of those trust exercises."

"Roxas... there's a big difference between falling into someone's arms who's less than a foot behind you and jumping out of a window!"

"Will you just come on?" Roxas asked as he held out his arms, his impatience becoming more apparent. "We'll be here for another twenty minutes when we could get it over with in twenty seconds. Sometimes, you just gotta take the leap of faith, Nam. Pun intended."

Naminé let out a whiny moan but figured he wasn't wrong. It would be better than having to come up with another lie for her father. "If I die, it's on your hands."

Roxas scoffed. "Dramatic as usual."

"First things first," Naminé said before tossing out her sketchbook. Roxas caught it with a confused glance but shook his head. It seemed like Naminé didn't like leaving the house without it. He set it on the ground for the moment being.

Naminé sat on her window sill with her legs dangling over the ledge. She bit her lip at the thought of what she had to do. Roxas looked up at her from below with his arms waiting for her. He did his best to be patient and gave her a smile full of encouragement. It helped, albeit a little.

"Here goes nothing..." she said to no one in particular. "See you on the other side, Mocchi."

Mocchi only watched confusedly as Naminé kipped herself off the ledge. Mocchi, unsure of what was happening and concerned for her favorite human's safety, made a dash on top of Naminé's bed and peeked outside only to find Naminé firmly within Roxas' arms. She was covering her own eyes with her hands despite wearing glasses. When she opened them, she found that Roxas was carrying her bridal-style.

"You okay?" he asked.

Naminé felt a sudden wave of heat and she didn't think the cause was the sun. She quickly got out of his hold and picked up her sketchpad from the ground before it could get any dirtier. She turned around, flattened the wrinkles of her outfit, and pushed her glasses up to her face.

"F-Fine. Lead the way."

Roxas did as told and they walked down the bustling Destiny Islands avenues. He chose not to bring his car to avoid suspicions from Naminé's father at all costs and seeing some random car show up on the street on semi-regular basis might have eventually struck odd to a professional investigator.

As they walked side-by-side, Naminé found herself looking at her feet often. She clutched onto her sketchbook with both hands. Her anxiety was beginning to get the best of her. There were so many people, even in this small, suburban neighborhood. Destiny Islands seemed like the kind of place that never slowed down. It didn't help that she had never snuck out of the house before. What if her father found out? She told him she would take a nap and she prayed that would be enough to keep him away from her space. How was she going to get back in her room?

"Hey," Roxas said, noticing her wandering attention span. He could sense her nervousness just by looking at her. "Don't worry about it," he said, as if reading her mind. "Pretend it's just us out here right now."

Naminé smiled but kept her head a little low in order to hide it from him. Suddenly, the world around her became background noise.

"Okay."

* * *

Sora loved the Guardian Festival. It was a time to celebrate and pay respects to the guardians of light of the past and their contributions to the worlds. However, that didn't mean it was without its fun. He adored going on rollercoasters, eating cotton candy, and participating in the annual struggle tournament with his best buddies to see who came out on top.

"SORA!"

The loud, irritable voice shook him out of his daydream. "Wh-Wha...?"

"You zoned out again, Sora," yelled Donald, an anthropomorphic duck who acted as one of King Mickey's most trusted advisors. "Pay attention!"

He rubbed the back of his spiky hair. "Oh, sorry..."

Unfortunate as it was, Sora had to miss out on the festival this year. He envied his friends. He knew his sister would be there with Axel. He even had some family coming into town for it. Riku would surely be spending time with Kairi. Sora sighed, feeling left out. But when Aqua told him to come to the dojo for training that morning, he didn't have much of a choice. They had been at it all afternoon.

Sora was never the best when it came to channeling magic. He had been steadily improving in regular combat thanks to sparring with Riku but when it came to casting spells, the power behind his attacks were either too strong or too weak. Aqua specialized in magic but she felt that having more than one expert on the subject with unique perspectives and ideas could give Sora a variety of options to take inspiration from. So, with the help of King Mickey, they got Sora a few new teachers.

Donald Duck, the talented court mage of Disney Castle and one of Mickey's most trusted advisors, as well as his mentor, Merlin, had been passing down their knowledge to Sora all morning. But Sora could only release tiny bursts of Fira before the flame fizzled out. Aqua could sense the impatience from the ill-tempered duck. As she stood on the sidelines with King Mickey, as well as Goofy, the captain of the royal knights at Disney Castle. There was also Squall, who had just finished his own training and sat on the steps leading to the outer doors while using a hand towel to clear up the sweat on his shoulders. Aqua wondered if this was the type of training Sora needed or if this was another misstep.

"Okay, Sora," Donald said, getting exasperated by Sora's ineptitude. "The key to magic is focusing. To channel it, you gotta concentrate on it."

Sora dismissed his Keyblade after another failed attempt at producing a decent Fira spell. "Yeah, I know. I can do it with ice magic. I just can't get the hang of this fire stuff."

"I think it's simpler than you might think," Merlin said. "Imagine the ferocity of fire. Think of that destructive force of nature burning over your target and use that energy from within your core to relinquish that power. That, my boy, is the key."

Sora raised an eyebrow and tilted his head slightly. "The key, huh?" As if the words struck a chord in him, extended his hand and summoned his legendary Kingdom Key in a flash of light. "I think it's easier said than done..."

"Oh, brother. Stop whinin', will ya?" Donald shouted. "You gotta focus your heart!"

Sora gave them a look of uncertainty but nodded. He turned around to face his targets. With the power of Merlin's magic, multiple sets of furniture were used as targets as they danced around the dojo. Sora gripped his Keyblade tight and twirled it in his fingers before confidently pointing at a spinning sofa.

"Fire!" he yelled. He felt his power coursing through him, a blast of Fira potency that would surely set it ablaze like paper against the sun.

However, it ended up being a mere pellet that fizzled in seconds.

Amidst the underwhelmed silence, Donald was the first to break it with his cackling as he pointed at an embarrassed Sora.

"What's so funny?" Sora asked, getting into a defensive position.

"You're supposed to be the chosen one? Eeeehehehe! You're just a kid!"

"That's Sora," said boy corrected.

Aqua sighed but settled into a soft smile while Merlin simply summoned a tiny cup and saucer and patiently sipped tea as he waited for Sora and Donald to quit bickering. "Well, this is about as productive as I thought it'd be," she said loud enough for only her peers to hear.

Squall pinched the bridge of his nose to ease his frustration. He felt like he was wasting his time acting as a supervisor. On the other hand, Mickey seemed to find their antics a bit more amusing. "They're as lively as ever, huh?" the king said.

Goofy chuckled. "'Shore are."

Sora entwined his hands behind his head. "Big talk coming from a noisy two foot tall duck."

"Three feet and one inch!" Donald corrected. "This noisy duck could teach a half-pint like you a thing or two."

Sora gave a cocky grin. "Ha! I'd like to see you try."

His temper flaring, he began shoving up his sleeve and readying his staff. "Oh yeah? I'll show ya!"

"Okay, boys. That's more than enough," Aqua interrupted, stepping in between Sora and Donald before they went at it.

Sora crossed his arms and closed his eyes with his head hung low. "I don't know how much more of this I can take, Aqua."

Aqua eyed him sympathetically and set a hand on his shoulder. "I know you'd rather be at the Guardian Festival. Trust me, if I could have my way, I'd take you there myself. But my superiors... they really think you should double down on your training."

Sora sighed. "Yeah, I get it," he said, but his tone betrayed his words. "Just wish I could at least pull off a decent Fira spell."

"Don't you worry, Sora," said Goofy, approaching from behind. "You're the key that connects everything! Just do what comes natural to ye and I'm shore everything'll come together."

Sora gave an appreciative smile. "Thanks, Goofy."

Donald, growing impatient, set his fists against his hips and tapped his webbed foot. "Yeah, yeah, cute pep talk. How about we do something you're not terrible at, Sora? Like Blizzara."

Sora pouted. "You don't have to be so mean about it..."

He turned back around and faced his targets once again, a slight boost in confidence considering he could perform a spell he was much more adept at pulling off. Sora closed his eyes, took a step forward, and pulled his Keyblade behind him.

"Freeze!" he yelled, swinging his Keyblade forward. Pressurized ice shot out of the tip of his blade and when Sora opened his eyes, he saw the previously dancing furniture frozen in place. A smile crept to his lips and the excitable Sora turned around. "How'd you like that?"

Sora's smile quickly deflated when he came to realize he had accidentally frozen Donald in place as well from his feet all the way up to his neck. The nearly frozen duck practically had steam pouring from the sides of his head as he ranted with many of his words being difficult to decipher. The others either watched the scene with amusement or sighed tiredly at both Sora's lack of technical skill and Donald's temper.

Sora put on a guilty smile and scratched the back of his head. "Oh, uhh... sorry."

"GET ME OUTTA HERE," Donald demanded.

"Oh, dear." Merlin took the initiative and used a fire spell to slowly melt the ice from Donald's body in order to ensure he didn't hurt him. "What are we going to do with you, lad?"

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Sora said, staring at his own hands. "I feel like I'm not in control today."

"It's easier to channel fire when you got a lotta anger or darkness inside ya," Mickey said in Sora's defense. "Maybe that's why you're havin' a tough time, Sora. But it'll all come together the way it's supposed to. Just give it time."

"With all due respect, your Majesty, we don't have the time to spare," Squall said, his eyes closed. "Channeling fire doesn't just have to do with anger or darkness. What's important is the passion and the drive to do what's necessary in that moment. Obviously, Sora doesn't have any of that either. So, how about instead of goofing around all the time, we take this a bit more seriously? We're here to work, not to casually socialize. This is the time for improvement and, frankly, I'm unimpressed."

The room fell silent as all lightheartedness was immediately thrown out the window. Sora was the first to break the awkward tension with a scoff. "Can't you ever lighten up a little?"

Squall stood up from his resting position and made slow strides towards Sora with his gunblade in hand. "The Foretellers suspect that something is upsetting the balance. Do you really think this is the time to lighten up? Our job is to prepare you for whatever threatens the safety of the worlds but you treat this like it's a burden. Like we're holding you hostage and making you finish your summer homework. Or you want to joke around like this is a game. Well, I have bad news for you. This is far from a game and if you don't wise up, you'll die out there."

Sora didn't know how to respond. "I... I know that."

Squall closed his eyes and lowered his head. He wasn't one to be so blunt often, but he wanted to push Sora. Feeling like he had to go for a more drastic measure, Squall lunged towards Sora with a firm grip on his gunblade. Everyone in the room gasped. Sora froze—unsure what he was supposed to do. His first instinct was to shield himself with his arms hoping it would somehow lessen the blow. When he didn't feel any impact for a few beats, he gradually opened his eyes to find Squall pointing gunblade pointed directly at his neck.

"Do you realize I could've ended you right there?" Squall asked calmly. "You didn't even think to summon the Keyblade."

"Because you almost gave me a heart attack!" Sora argued.

"Expect the unexpected. That's the one of the most basic lessons you should've learned years ago," Squall said. Sora didn't respond, he only averted his eyes in shame. "You think the guys who threaten to upset the balance are going to wait for you to be ready? You think they're going to stop when you say time-out? That's not how this works. Take some responsibility and take this seriously. You were chosen by the Keyblade, meaning you're supposed to lead us in a crisis. Act like it."

Sora swallowed a lump down his throat. The rest of the room stared at the scene with mixed feelings and wordlessly sent Sora their sympathies. Even Donald thought Squall was being a bit harsh.

"Would you please put that down, Squall?" Aqua said in a reprimanding tone as she lowered his gunblade. "I wholeheartedly disagree with you. I think Sora has shown plenty that he's trying his best and he's made noticeable improvements over the past two years. As Sora's mentors, it's our job to analyze both the strengths and weaknesses of his progress. He may not be a Master yet but if he's improved, even just a little bit, we should acknowledge it."

"I never said he hasn't improved," Squall clarified. "That's not my issue. It's his whole attitude. Being chosen by the Kingdom Key isn't to be treated lightly. It's the highest honor to be deemed worthy as the one person in the whole galaxy to maintain the balance of light and darkness. It's an honor that a kid obviously wouldn't have enough maturity to respect."

"Whoever said I even wanted to be chosen?" Sora growled. "Do you know how much I wanted to go to the festival today? How much I'd love to just live my life? Much more than having you treat me as if I'm one of the bad guys, that's for sure. But I came because I didn't want to disappoint Master Aqua. So, gimme a break. I'm trying, okay? I never asked for this. I never had a choice."

"Tough luck." Squall shook his head. "Tell me, if something were to happen tomorrow—something devastating that affected your loved ones. Do you honestly think you would have it in you to rise to that challenge and do what needs to be done?" He narrowed his eyes. "Even if it cost you your life?"

Sora was about to retort but found he couldn't come up with a good answer. It was a good question. Sora didn't know how he would handle something of that degree. Let alone make that kind of sacrifice.

"That's what I thought," Squall said once Sora lowered his head in shame. "You're just a kid. I have no idea why the Kingdom Key would choose someone so inexperienced but I won't sugarcoat myself just because you're in high school. I'm going to hold you to the same standard as I would any seasoned veteran. I have to—because if the galaxy is in a crisis, you're the one who's supposed to lead us. If you don't think you can handle that, then get out of here and let the Keyblade move on to the next best thing. Someone who isn't daydreaming about riding on roller coasters and eating cotton candy during a training session."

"I think you've made your point clear, Squall," Mickey said, stepping into the conversation. "But I think you've said more than enough."

The silence that followed was deafening. Merlin, Donald, and Goofy in particular felt like they were intruding.

"Maybe we're all just a little tired and stressed out," Aqua said. "We've been at it all morning and afternoon. So, I'd say that's enough for today. Sora, you're dismissed. Be sure to come back tomorrow."

Sora felt his shoulders slump. "You mean, I have to come back to train again? I was hoping I could maybe catch a break and go to the Guardian Festival tomorrow with my friends. At least for one day?"

Aqua shook her head. "Seven in the morning."

Sora sighed. "Okay."

Everyone gathered their belongings and departed from the dojo aside from Mickey, Aqua, and Squall. Squall didn't seem to have much of a care and began packing his things into a duffel bag. Aqua cleared her throat loudly to get his attention. When he faced her, she was scowling at him with her arms crossed while Mickey gave him a look of uncertainty. Squall remained unbothered.

"So... brunch?" he asked nonchalantly.

"Absolutely not," Aqua said as if it were obvious.

"Don'tcha think ya might've been a bit harsh, Squall?" Mickey asked.

"It was completely uncalled for," Aqua added.

"'Scuse me for saying how I feel."

"There are better ways to get your point across than breaking someone's spirit," Aqua said. "He's sixteen, Squall. You really need to cut him a little slack. He has more than enough pressure on his shoulders and it would be difficult for anyone his age."

"Hmph." Squall continued packing. "Honestly, I wish he didn't have to deal with all of this. He shouldn't have to at his age. But the fact of the matter is that he does and he's going to have to toughen up if he's going to be the successor to Zack." Squall stopped moving and narrowed his eyes. "I don't really understand why it chose a kid like him in the first place. In the past, the chosen ones didn't have a Dive to the Heart until they were at least twenty-one. He was only fourteen and it's not like he's some sort of child prodigy. The kid can barely turn on a computer. And that Riku kid is ten times the swordsman. It's just... odd."

"The situation is a bit... different, to say the least," Mickey admitted. "And I know you were hopin' you'd get chosen yourself." Squall averted his eyes at the accusation but he didn't deny it. "But you gotta remember our job is to support Sora and prepare him for whatever trials he may face. It's not helpful to anyone if he gets discouraged or starts to question himself. We shouldn't question the Keyblade either. It hasn't failed us yet. Whatever its reasons, it sees something in Sora that we can't. We'll just have to believe in the Keyblade. We have to believe in Sora."

Aqua narrowed her eyes. "In other words, get over it."

Squall chose not to respond and threw his bag over his shoulder as he casually walked towards the door. Aqua groaned.

"Don't worry, Aqua," Mickey said. "He'll come around."

Aqua stared at the exit. She hated to admit it, but she didn't entirely disagree with Squall. She disagreed that Sora wasn't taking his role seriously enough, but as much as she cared for Sora as a person, she had to question the Keyblade's choice this time around. But like Mickey said, it never failed them before. She supposed she would just have to do her best to guide him wherever he needed to be.

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Snow stood in front of her door with a carton of pocky sticks he picked up from the convenience store. Naminé still liked those, right? She was crazy about them when she was little but she was sixteen now. Was this not what was in with kids these days? There was a possibility she had outgrown them and he wasted five munny for nothing.

It occurred to Snow that he didn't know his own daughter enough to know what she did and didn't like. Maybe if he were a better father he wouldn't have had to rely on a memory of Naminé at four-years-old rather than knowing who she was now. Heck, he wasn't even sure what Kairi was into these days. He had been spending so much time worrying about their safety and security that he ignored the idea of having an actual relationship with them—unlike Serah. He wasn't proud of that but he could only hope it wasn't too late to make up for his mistakes.

After rehearsing his lines in his head, he reluctantly knocked on her door. "Naminé? Hope I'm not bothering you. Just thought maybe we could still watch that movie? I got pocky—if you're... um... if you still like that stuff."

When he received no answer, Snow wrapped his hand around the doorknob.

"Nam, you asleep?"

He carefully and quietly turned the doorknob to ensure he didn't wake his sleeping daughter up. He didn't want to intrude but he had to make sure she wasn't on her laptop or tablet with her earphones plugged in. But when he peeked his head inside her room, Mocchi was the only one there, resting on Naminé's bed. At the sound of footsteps, Mocchi woke from her light slumber and stared at Snow with slow, sluggish blinks.

Naminé wasn't in sight.

* * *

"Here we are."

As promised, Roxas led Naminé to his place. She could tell just by the exterior that the Strife family was well off with their large two-story house with windows the sizes of doors and a balcony on the second floor.

"You coming?" Roxas asked, his voice breaking Naminé out of her thoughts. He had already unlocked the door and was halfway inside.

That was when Naminé felt the hairs of her skin rise. It finally hit her this was the first time she would be at a boy's house. Her heart began to race and her hands started to feel clammy.

She quickly stopped herself. Why was she getting so worked up? She reminded herself that she spent an entire day with him at her place more than a few times at this point. And it was Roxas. If anyone had proven they were worthy of her trust them, it was him. She collected herself and followed him inside with her arms wrapped around her sketchbook.

"You want something to drink?" Roxas asked.

"Already trying to loosen me up?"

When Roxas rolled his eyes at her, she giggled. "Please stop, before you tarnish my good name."

"Fine. I guess I'll take some water if you have any."

With Roxas gone, Naminé could feel the spaciousness of their living room. The interior design was about what she expected; nice furniture, large windows, flowy curtains, and there was even a large framed photograph of Cloud, Tifa, and presumably a baby Roxas who had to be no older than a few months old with wide, blue eyes full of wonder. Her eyes wandered a little further and she noticed many pictures lining up one of the walls in one of the hallways with pictures of many faces she didn't recognize.

When Roxas returned with a glass of water for her, Naminé pointed at the large picture of Roxas as a baby with his mother and father. "I wonder who that baby is. Isn't he just the cutest little nugget you've ever seen?"

Roxas pretended to inspect the baby in the picture thoroughly. "Hmmm, beats me. But I got this distinct feeling he's gonna grow up to be a charismatic, handsome young stud that the ladies will find irresistibly delicious."

"Or he'll grow up to have an inflated ego the size of a towing truck."

"Eh, I say it's a fifty-fifty chance."

Naminé chortled as she shook her head. "I didn't realize you had such a big family."

"Not all of these guys are family," he clarified. "There's lots of family friends, too. See?" Roxas pointed to a picture of himself, Xion, and Sora when they were no older than eight with Xion holding her brother in some sort of armlock while Roxas laughed in the background. Naminé found it to be an amusing sight.

"Who is this guy?" Naminé asked, pointing at one of the pictures. "He's like a spitting image of you."

"We get that a lot. That's Ventus, my older cousin. He's in another world training to be a Keyblade Master. He's like Sora but way more annoying. Which is a pretty impressive feat."

"You're probably just jealous of his looks," she teased.

"You realize you're basically giving me an indirect compliment, right?"

Naminé ignored him and her eyes fell on another picture, this one of a beautiful woman with emerald green eyes and long brunette hair plaited with a pink ribbon. She wore a lovely pink dress overlapped by a red bolero jacket. "Who's this?"

When Roxas didn't give an immediate answer, she stared at him with confusion. He seemed uncharacteristically somber, as if he were hesitating to let Naminé in on something. It only aroused her curiosity more but she decided not to pry. Eventually, Roxas attempted to break the silence.

"That's—"

"Well, what have we here?"

Roxas and Naminé both screamed in unison and held each other in fear for their own lives. Surely the unknown voice was an armed burglar or a pervert. But when they realized the culprit charged with the crime of scaring the wits out of them was not a criminal, but Tifa Strife with a toilet bowl cleaner in hand, they immediately felt their heart rates decrease. Tifa had her arms crossed while wearing latex gloves and a shower cap.

"M-Mom?" Roxas sputtered. "I didn't know you'd be home."

"So, you thought it was the perfect opportunity to bring a girl home?" She lifted an eyebrow at the pair still holding each other. "A special girl, I see."

Roxas and Naminé released each other, with Naminé straightening out her outfit and hugging her sketchpad tightly.

"It's not what it looks like," Roxas and Tifa said in-sync, the latter mocking her son's tone as she predicted exactly what he was going to say with her self-titled "Mom powers."

"I know, I know," Tifa said amusedly. "I've heard it before. Been there before, too."

"Just make sure you spare us the details," Roxas quipped, making Tifa remove her gloves and ruffle his hair. "What are you doin' here, anyway? I thought you were going to the festival."

"I decided I wasn't up for it today," she answered. "I figured I'd be better off getting something productive done and, well, the bathroom won't clean itself." While Tifa maintained her smile, it noticeably deflated. "Besides, after last night I think I've done more than enough celebrating." Sensing she was bringing the mood down, Tifa perked back up and beamed at Naminé. "Hello! We meet again. Thankfully, under less claustrophobic circumstances."

Naminé struggled to maintain eye contact but did her best to offer a smile of her own. "Y-Yes, Mrs. Strife. H-H-Hi."

"Glad I can see your eyes this time," Tifa continued teasingly. "I approve! You're a beautiful young lady."

Naminé blushed and tucked some hair behind her ear. Pretty and cute was one thing, but beautiful? "Oh, th-thank you but... I-I'm flattered, really. But I don't really think so."

"It's true," Tifa reassured. "Definitely out of Roxas' league."

"Wow," Roxas said. "I'm not even going to entertain that comment." Naminé giggled at their banter. She appreciated Tifa trying to break the ice a little bit.

"So, you two hungry?" Tifa asked. "I'd be happy to fix something. Was thinking of whipping up some onigiri and miso soup for the occasion."

"Count me in," Roxas answered. He looked back at Naminé with a grin. "You?"

"Oh no," Naminé declined, waving her hand. As delicious as that sounded, she didn't want to trouble someone she recently met. "That's okay. I-I'm not hungry."

Roxas sighed. "What'd you eat today?"

No matter how many times Roxas did that, it never failed to catch Naminé off guard. It didn't help that she was a terrible liar on top of it. "Umm, well, I uh—"

"That's what I thought," Roxas interrupted. "She'll take some." Naminé opened her mouth to protest but Roxas was two steps ahead of her. "Ah-ah-ah! I don't want to hear it, missy."

Tifa had no complaints. "Sounds good to me. Onigiri and miso soup coming right up. And you two are going to help me."

Naminé and Roxas exchanged a glance. "U-Us?" Naminé asked.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Mom," Roxas said. He raised his hands defensively. "I'm not saying any names, but someone in this room could use a slight nudge in improvement with their cooking techniques. Again, not saying names."

Naminé narrowed her eyes at Roxas.

"It could totally be me!" he said in his own defense.

"With my guidance, you guys won't have to worry about any of that," Tifa said confidently. "The food won't prepare itself. Chop-chop!"

Tifa led the two into the kitchen and after proclaiming herself to be the headmaster of the operation, she put the both of them to work. She made sure neither of her newfound pupils did anything to taint the quality of their cuisine. But it wasn't without its fun, of course. There were a few times the uncoordinated Naminé needed help from her new cooking buddies to make sure the kitchen wasn't covered in seasonings and sauces and Tifa had to scold Roxas more than once on his urge to add the spiciest of spices. Small talk and banter was the bulk of their conversation, with Tifa asking Naminé plenty of questions and proceeding to poke fun at Roxas if he chose to be a smart aleck to anything Naminé said, to which Naminé found a great amount of amusement from.

When all was said and done, the three had successfully concocted a delicious meal that was thankfully edible this time around thanks to Tifa. They gathered at the dining table and dug in with their small talk never wavering.

Naminé was already beginning to grow accustomed with Mrs. Strife. She had a warm aura to her that was familiar to Naminé. Having Tifa around reinforced the fact that Naminé missed her own mother deeply and that she envied Roxas for having his. But she wasn't resentful. Seeing how well the mother and son got along despite their less than subtle jabs at one another was a refreshing sight.

"I still can't believe you tried to bring a girl home behind my back," Tifa continued. "I've failed as a mother."

Roxas groaned. "If I knew you would've been home, I would've told you."

"Please, Roxas. I've met teenage boys before. God forbid I check your browser search history."

Naminé used her hand to suppress her giggles. Roxas sighed. "Is this really an appropriate conversation to be having at dinner?"

"Well, what kind of mother would I be if I didn't roast my son in front of his new friend?" Tifa asked as she pinched his cheek. "Is that not the ultimate sign of love and affection?"

He understood when it was someone like Xion or Axel, since they roasted him all the time themselves, but... "Does it have to be in front of her, though?"

"I'm just trying to let Naminé know what she's getting herself into. A sweet girl like her ought to run while she still can. He has been respectful, hasn't he?"

"Mom..." Roxas trailed off.

"Yes, he's been very nice to me. For the most part," Naminé added with a giggle. She sent him a smile before getting embarrassed with what she was about to say and shifted her focus to her plate. "I don't think you'll have to worry about him, Mrs. Strife. Honestly, I'm... I'm really grateful to have met him."

Roxas was surprised she would say something like that, especially in front of someone else. But he was happy to see her opening up more, even if it still made her a bit uncomfortable.

"I'm happy to hear that!" Tifa said. "Maybe I'm not so much of a failure of a mother, after all." She turned to Roxas with a mischievous grin. "Still, I hope you were at least planning to—"

"I swear if you make a condom joke I am running away from home within the week," Roxas interrupted, resulting in laughter from the girls, despite the slight blush from Naminé. "Come on, this the best you got? These are the most standard Mom jokes around. You're gonna have to try a lot harder than that."

"Challenge accepted," Tifa said, as she turned to Naminé enthusiastically. "So, this one time, when Roxas was nine and peed his pants on the bus—"

"Okay, that's a low blow!" Roxas said.

"Nine?" Naminé asked in disbelief before devolving into laughter once again.

"I-It happens," Roxas weakly defended. He sighed. "Look, we were on a field trip and the teacher wouldn't let me use the bathroom the entire time. So, on the way back I couldn't take it anymore. End of story."

"Oh, there's more to it than that," Tifa said slyly. "But I'll let you off easy this time."

Roxas grumbled. "What's next? Embarrassing baby pictures?"

"Ooh, sounds like a great idea," Tifa said before stepping out of her seat to go find the photo album. "Be right back."

Roxas let out a suppressed groan after she left. Naminé was still suffering from a fit of giggles. "Sorry you have to go through this," Naminé apologized, biting her lip to suppress her amusement.

Roxas waved her off. "Believe it or not, I heard she was more of the shy type back in the day."

"Really?" Naminé asked, genuinely surprised. "I never would've known."

Roxas sighed. "I guess this is what happens when you spend too much time with Mrs. Valentine."

"Baaaaack," Tifa sang as she slipped back into her seat with a very heavy-looking photo album.

Roxas slouched in his seat. "You know what? I'm not even gonna attempt to put a stop to this one."

"Good! That means you're learning," Tifa said as she scooted closer to Naminé before opening the book and in turn, Naminé got closer to her as well. Roxas groaned internally but he couldn't maintain an annoyed front for long. Whatever the case, he enjoyed seeing Naminé having fun.

"Here he is," Tifa said, showing a picture of an infant Roxas in a onesie giving the camera a big toothless smile.

Naminé put a hand to her chest. "He was so cute!"

"Wasn't he?" Tifa agreed. She looked up from the happy baby Roxas and compared that face to the slouching grouch sitting across from them. "Wish I could say the same for this one."

"Personally, I don't see a difference," Naminé joked.

"Haw haw haw haw, haw haw haw haw," Roxas mocked. They ignored him.

"Oh, this one is one of my favorites," Tifa said, pointing at a picture of an infant Roxas in nothing but a diaper as he hung from a clearly exhausted Cloud, chewing on his cotton shirt. "He's teething!"

"Mr. Strife looked like he was having a bad hair day," Naminé observed.

"Cloud was a great father but he wasn't the best with babies," Tifa admitted. "I remember one day when I was at work and he was alone with Roxas on one of his off-days, he calls me when Roxas needed to change his diaper and asked, 'what do I do with it?''"

The two shared a laugh. Even Roxas cracked a slight smile at the thought of it.

"You must really miss him," Naminé said once the laughter died down.

Tifa let out a sigh that was both pleasant and melancholic. "Every day."

They flipped through more and more pages, Tifa pointing out which ones stood out to her and the memory behind it, whether it was exciting or funny, and Naminé loved every bit of it. She felt like she was learning more about the Strife's, what kind of family Roxas came from, and what kind of person the notorious Cloud Strife was.

Eventually, they landed on a picture that caught Naminé's interest. Cloud stood in the middle with Tifa on his left. On his right, was the unfamiliar woman with long brunette hair. It hit her that Roxas never got the chance to finish answering her question from earlier.

"Um, if you don't mind me asking, who is this lady?" Naminé asked when she pointed her out.

Tifa's mirthful energy gradually dissipated the longer she looked at her. "Oh, my. Um..." She looked over to her son. "Roxas?"

Roxas, who had unsuccessfully been attempting to tune them out for the past fifteen minutes, sat up from his slouching position when Tifa pushed the photo book towards him as she pointed to the picture of the woman in question. Naminé noticed that familiar melancholy lingering on Roxas' face from earlier. Naminé hoped she wasn't insensitively reopening old wounds.

"I'll leave it up to you if you want to tell her," Tifa said in the most understanding tone Naminé heard from her all afternoon.

"Yeah, it's not a big deal, I guess," he said. "This is Aerith Gainsborough. She's... my mother."

Naminé was taken by surprise. "Your mother?" She looked back and forth between Roxas and Tifa with confusion. "But I thought—"

"It's complicated," Tifa said, patting her hand over Naminé's. "Aerith was the one who gave birth to him. You see, I'm Roxas' adopted mother. Aerith, she was... his real mother."

"Don't," Roxas said, his tone serious. "Don't even start with that. You will always be my true mother."

Tifa gave him a sad, but appreciative smile. "So you've told me."

"But last night you said that Roxas the best gift Mr. Strife could have given you," Naminé recalled.

"And I stand by that," Tifa said. "Whether we're biologically related or not, Roxas has been one of the best things that could've happened to me. Without Cloud, I wouldn't have Roxas. We're just... not bound by blood. That honor goes to Aerith."

Naminé kept looking at the woman in the pictures, suddenly fascinated with her existence. "Who is she?" she couldn't help but ask.

"A very close friend of both Cloud and I," Tifa answered. "I've known Cloud ever since we were kids. Aerith didn't come until a little later. I love Aerith—she was very kind and gentle but she wasn't without a bit of sass and a feisty side. She always loved gardening and gave us flowers as gifts all the time."

"She sounds lovely," Naminé said.

Tifa nodded in agreement before continuing. "We met Aerith during a tough time for all of us; it was during the war with Sephiroth. Cloud had eyes for her, and..." Tifa said, beginning to choke up ever so slightly. "I always had a crush on Cloud. Even when we were just kids. But I guess I wasn't his first choice."

Both Roxas and Naminé shared a look of mutual concern. Roxas set a hand on her shoulder. "Mom..."

Tifa sniffled despite no tears being visible on her cheeks, as if she were holding them back. She gave him her best attempt at a smile. "I'm alright. Excuse me for just a moment."

Tifa bowed to Naminé as an apology for leaving prematurely but she needed a moment to herself and she exited into the hallway and proceeded upstairs. The air between Roxas and Naminé was left a bit stiff but Roxas took the initiative when he noticed a guilty-looking Naminé.

"Don't feel bad," Roxas said. "Yesterday was the anniversary of my dad's death and today is the Guardian Festival. It's not your fault. She's usually a little emotional around this time of year."

"But maybe if I hadn't pried—"

"It's completely natural for you to be curious and you're not wrong for asking a few questions," Roxas assured her. "Don't beat yourself up over that." Naminé didn't seem entirely convinced, but Roxas knew trying any further would be like pulling teeth. Roxas stared at the picture of his biological mother and his adopted mother standing on each side of his father. "Come on, let's get some fresh air."

Naminé reluctantly nodded. Roxas and Naminé stood from the table and he led her to the backyard where an aisle of bushes paved the way to a swimming pool. The pair removed their socks and shoes before dipping their feet into the cool water. Naminé fiddled with her hands. She didn't fail to notice Mrs. Lockhart talked about this Aerith woman in the past tense. She had a pretty good idea why.

"I'm sorry," Naminé said.

Roxas shook his head. "It's not really anything to be sorry over. It's not like I ever met my mom. She died when she gave birth to me. It's a little hard not to see her as anything but a stranger. But Mom—my mom—has always been there. She's all I remember. When I think of the word, 'Mom', her face is the one that I see. Not Aerith's."

"I guess I can understand that," Naminé said. Though, she thought it was sad that he never got the chance to spend any time with the woman who gave him life. Naminé was often down in the dumps with how she lost her own biological mother, but she never thought to be grateful for the fact that she got to spend any time with her in the first place. "Do you know what the cause of her death was?"

Roxas looked her in the eyes. "Geostigma."

"Geostigma?" Naminé repeated. "While she was pregnant with you?"

"Yeah," he said, nodding.

"Roxas." She stared at him in disbelief. "If she was pregnant while she had geostigma, there should've been a ninety-something percent chance that her baby would have carried the disease along with her."

"I know," Roxas said, nodding once more.

"The chances of you coming out... healthy... are extremely slim and extremely rare..."

"...I know." Roxas leaned on one of his knees while the other foot gently swished back and forth in the water. "I was one of the lucky ones."

Naminé studied his face but she couldn't get a good read him. He seemed indifferent towards the situation but there was a slight possibility he was repressing some sort of pain. Or maybe he truly was numb to this situation, considering he's likely had years to accept and process it. She would've liked to have known what he was thinking.

"The story goes that after Aerith died, my dad was really down in the dumps. But my mom was there for him. She took care of him when he needed someone the most. They ended up falling in love and got married. Ever since, I just saw Tifa as my mom and nothing else. That was all I ever knew for the longest. They didn't even tell me who my real mom was until I was snooping around the house one day years ago and found a picture of her."

Naminé went from looking at Roxas to looking at nothing in particular in front of her. "I see."

"But it is what it is," Roxas continued. "Besides, I still had the utmost pleasure of knowing what the death of a parent feels like. My dad had geostigma, too."

"Yeah, it's all over the history books," Naminé said. "So, both of your biological parents were taken by geostigma..."

"Looks like it," Roxas sighed. "Even though he had geostigma, my dad kept fighting despite everyone told him he needed to settle down. He didn't listen. After he was diagnosed, he spent the rest of his life trying to find a cure for it. Spoiler alert: he never found it. But he kept fighting the good fight and being a soldier—I guess that's all he knew how to be. And... this one day, when I was a kid, we got the news he went into a burning building to save people in danger. He was already on his last legs but—putting his body through something like that only made it worse for himself. All I remember from that day is my mom taking me from school and rushing me to the hospital, and... seeing his body like that.

"That day is still pretty vivid in the ol' memory bank. I was so confused. His face was... was so bloody, and he had these purple—n-nevermind. I don't think I need to go into the details. He was just... so beat up that... he didn't have the strength to say anything to us. I didn't know what was happening." Roxas took a long pause before continuing. "He died later that night. I remember being there when light in his eyes just kinda... uhh, I dunno how to describe it—"

"Fades away," Naminé choked out.

Roxas stopped when he heard sniffles. He looked over to see Naminé with her head hung low as tears fell freely from her eyes. Roxas could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"I know what you mean," Naminé said through her tears. "When the light in their eyes fades away... and you know they're gone forever..."

"...Yeah," Roxas said after a pause. "What's wrong?"

"I-I don't know," Naminé answered shakily. She removed her glasses and used the sleeve of her light sweater to wipe her bloodshot eyes. Tears continued to pour down but she still managed to give Roxas a smile. "I don't know why I'm crying."

Roxas was a bit uncertain how to react but his first instinct was to rush back inside his house and grab Naminé a box of tissues, which she was plenty thankful for as she dried her stained cheeks and blew her nose. For a while, they sat in silence with nothing but the crickets chirping and the soft ripples of the pool water filling in the void. Roxas scooted closer to her and rubbed her back as his way of comforting her. When she settled down a bit, she was able to speak a bit more clearly.

"I-I-I know what it feels like," Naminé said. "To lose a parent. I'm sure you've gathered by now but... I lost my mom, too. I was ten when it happened. This guy, he... h-he—"

"I know," Roxas said. "Noel, right? He was an ex of your mom and he followed her one day, and you just happened to be there when he pulled the trigger."

She stared at him in shock. "Y-Yes...? How did you—"

"Kairi told me," he clarified. "You don't have to go into the details if it's too much for you. It's okay." He wiped away one of her tears and patted her on the head. Naminé nodded. She felt like a child being coddled by one of her parents. But she didn't really mind. "You're not alone."

He was right.

She didn't understand why she was so emotional but when Roxas said that, it started to click. When it came to the death of a parent, Naminé understood what that felt like more than most would. Hearing someone else recount their own story—their own trauma—in that moment, she realized that she wasn't alone anymore. She heard the pain in Roxas' voice, quiet as it was, and felt as if his pain had become hers. Naminé never knew of this level of empathy before and she didn't know where it came from. But the feeling wasn't awful. Maybe it was even therapeutic.

When she looked up at him, still with a case of the sniffles, he was smiling at her. His eyes were enough to communicate to her that he understood.

"You're not alone," Roxas said. "You don't ever need to feel alone again. You'll have me. And you don't have to tell them about something as personal as this if you don't want to, but Xion, Axel, Sora, Riku—they'll have your back, too. Understand?"

It took her a moment, but Naminé nodded.

"And you can't forget about me, of course. We both know each other's tragic backstories now, as Kairi called it, so we're in this together," he added, halfway jokingly. "I'll never leave you."

Naminé felt her tears resurface but she was able to keep her sobs under her breath. Despite the pain, she was able to smile back once again and leaned into him for comfort. Roxas took that as permission to wrap his arms around her. The two held each other in a gentle but firm embrace underneath the evening sky and a full moon they could see through the reflection of the water. A deep inhale and a slow exhale.

They sat like that for a long while, neither keeping track of the time. Tifa went looking for them in hopes of apologizing to Naminé for upsetting the mood and potentially making her uncomfortable. When she eventually found the two embracing each other near the pool in the backyard, she figured it would be best to give them their space for the time being and quietly made herself scarce.

Naminé felt at peace. His embrace felt warm and it made her feel safe. She drank in his scent and it almost felt like her fatigue was beginning to creep up on her. That comfortable silence they shared took her back to the night before when it was just the two of them on the balcony in a similar scenario. She remembered promising herself that for their next outing, she would go of her own volition. Because he was her friend and he deserved it. She felt that now. More than ever before.

"Roxas?"

"Hm?"

"Let's go to the Guardian Festival tomorrow."

Roxas' eyes went wide and he could hardly believe what he was hearing. Naminé, of all people, suggesting they go out and do something? Preposterous. "You're Kairi in disguise, aren't you?"

Naminé managed a giggle. "I mean it. I think we should go. Especially after all of this yucky emotional stuff. And it's like I said—I don't want to cause a rift between you and your friends."

"Which, you're totally not," Roxas insisted. "But you know what? Let's do it. It'll be fun."

"You won't be leaving my side the entire time and there will be consequences if you ever ditch me at any point. You will be my designated bodyguard for the day."

"Weird way to tell someone you want to spend the whole day with them but I'll take it."

"You should feel honored," she teased.

"Honored? I'm not even worthy, your highness."

Naminé giggled. "Too true."

They enjoyed each other's company for a while longer, gradually allowing the conversation to lighten as time went on.

Neither of them let the other go.

* * *

Once it started to get so late that the two realized they had lost track of time, Roxas walked Naminé back to her place. If Naminé were being completely honest with herself, she didn't want to go home just yet. But she knew she had been out far later than she expected to be. She hoped her father didn't notice she was gone. He rarely entered her room if she didn't answer. Either way, she didn't want to relapse into her overthinking ways.

Roxas and Naminé snuck into the backyard of the Villiers residence and located Naminé's window.

"How am I supposed to get up there?" Naminé asked.

"The same way I do," Roxas said with a shrug. "Climb up."

Naminé broke out into laughter. She found the idea knee-slapping hilarious. But it took her a moment to realize Roxas wasn't laughing along with her and it made her look at him as if he had just turned into a Hydra. "Wait, you're serious?"

The smirk Roxas gave her was more than enough to communicate his answer.

"Roxas, I can't climb up! I'd surely fall and have to go to the ambulance."

"You won't fall. Because if you do, I'll catch you like I did earlier. We're kinda out of options here, Nam. Unless you have another idea."

It pained her to admit it but he was right. There weren't any other options. "Roxas," she said in a whiny tone.

"You trust me, don't you?"

She sighed. "Yes..."

He smiled. "Then believe in the me that believes in the you. I'll help."

Begrudgingly, Naminé set her sketchbook down and followed his instructions. He hiked her up over his shoulders, giving her the boost she needed to climb up the water gutter. It was cold but it made it easier for her to grip. It took her a little while and she nearly would have had a panic attack if Roxas didn't talk her down, but she eventually found the resolve to leap from the gutter to the ledge of her window and slip back inside her room. She was careful not to make any noise that would alert her father. She popped her head back out the window.

"You did it!" Roxas congratulated.

"Yeah, I guess I did," Naminé said breathlessly. "N-Never doing that again if I don't have to, though."

Roxas chuckled. "Understandable." He picked up her sketchbook and tossed it up her. "Don't forget this, Rapunzel."

She caught her sketchbook, albeit clumsily, and smiled as she held it to her chest. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"You will," Roxas promised. "Be up bright and early! And if you're not up, I'll be here to wake you up."

"Please don't."

"Oh, I will," he said with a grin. He began making his way back home.

"Text me when you get home so that I know you made it back safe, okay?" she called out.

"Sure thing, Mom!" he called back.

Naminé scoffed before closing and locking her window. Home sweet home. But she already missed having him around. She wasn't sure why but she figured this was what having a new friend felt like. It was only natural she would enjoy and desire more of his company, right?

She quickly changed into something more comfortable. She would've liked to take a bath but she figured avoiding crossing paths with her father was for the best. She decided she would have to change her sheets and take a shower first thing in the morning. After all, she had plans. It was a strange feeling.

She slipped into bed and hugged one of her pillows. It was hard for her to fall asleep. She felt so tired earlier when the two of them were comforting each other, but now that he was gone, she was wide awake. She just lay in her room, blanketed by the dark with only the moon peering at her from the window to illuminate the area. Why was it that sleep refusing to take over? Was it because she was actually excited for the next day? Normally she dreaded having plans, even if it was something she didn't mind doing. But this time, she was anticipating it.

She didn't even realize how much time had passed until she received a text message from Roxas letting her know he was home safe and that she had better be awake by the time he got there or he promised to bang on her window until she was. It made her smile.

The morning couldn't come soon enough.

_**Memories of Pain** _


	13. Memories of Premonition

Sora walked through the halls of the Training Hall with his hands stuffed in his pockets and half-lidded eyes. Several yawns escaped him, making his eyes leak. Mornings were never his thing, but he could always count on his mom to give him an obnoxious wakeup call whenever he needed it.

Sora opened the door to the dojo. As expected, Aqua was there discussing something with two bodyguards dressed in their usual lavish robes that mirrored those of the Foretellers. Sora raised an eyebrow as he walked further inside until Aqua eventually caught wind of his presence. She dismissed her bodyguards as Sora drew nearer.

"You're here earlier than I expected," Aqua said, greeting him with a smile.

"You're the one who said to be here seven-thirty on the dot," Sora said.

"Like I said, earlier than I expected."

"Very funny." Sora took another look around the criminally empty dojo. "Where are the others? I thought the King was gonna show up today."

Aqua shook her head. "I told them we had a change of plans. We have an errand to run this morning."

Sora practically had a question mark stamped on his forehead as he tilted his head to the side. "We do?"

"There's something the Foretellers wanted you to see today. So, we had best not keep them waiting."

"Okay...?" Sora said as she moved past him. "Is it okay if I ask what it is?"

Aqua spared him a glance. "Admittedly, something important."

* * *

Sora didn't ask too many questions during the drive with Aqua, partially because he didn't want an answer. He knew that if this were something the Foretellers wanted him to see, it most likely wasn't going to be anything fun. This became more apparent to him when Aqua pulled into the parking lot of a hospital.

Aqua led the way with Sora not falling too far behind as they made their way through the blindingly white halls that gave off a disinfected scent. Eventually, they stopped at a seemingly random door. Aqua turned towards her pupil.

"Here we are," Aqua said with a sigh. She seemed about as enthusiastic about this as Sora was. "Would you like to do the honors?"

"...Sure." After a pause, he opened the door to reveal a familiar old man he recognized as Master Xehanort sitting at someone's bedside. Xehanort was hunched over in a chair with his hands clasped and his eyes closed. At the sound of footsteps, he turned his head. When his eyes landed on Sora, the ends of his lips made an upward curl.

"We meet again, boy," Xehanort said in his raspy voice.

Sora blinked. "Uh, hey there." Master Xehanort nodded in his direction before closing his eyes once again.

Aqua shut the door behind them as they walked further inside and another notable face came into view. Master Ira, one of the Foretellers and the leader of the Unicornis union; he stood at the bottom of the hospital bed, blocking off Sora's view as to who the hospital guest might have been. "I'm glad you could make it, Sora."

"Hiya," Sora greeted. Aqua softly bumped Sora on the shoulder and gave him a look, which Sora took as his cue to bow along with her. "Glad to be here... I think."

"Likewise," Ira said. "This was actually Master Xehanort's suggestion to the Union leaders. He thought this was something you ought to see." Ira backed out of the way to reveal a bedridden man with messy strands of black hair hovering over his closed eyes. He looked peaceful as he slept—a soft expression that betrayed an otherwise harsh reality as black spots embellished his skin and discharged ooze. Sora recognized these as the signs of a deep stage of geostigma. Despite being unfamiliar with the stranger, Sora felt himself being washed over with empathy.

"I thought it might give you some perspective," Xehanort said, his eyes still shut.

"Sora, this is Master Eraqus," Aqua said. "You might be familiar with the name. Terra and I used to train under him."

Sora gulped, hesitating to ask his next question. "Is he...?"

"He's alive," Ira assured, sensing what he was going to ask. "But not by much."

It was a slight relief to hear that Eraqus was alive but the severity of the sores covering his body kept Sora's heart aching for the victim. "Do you guys know how much time he has left?"

"We're not sure," Aqua admitted painfully. "If we're being honest, he should've died a while ago. Thankfully, Master Xehanort has been working with Shinra to distribute medicine that minimizes some of the symptoms and slow down the growth of the infected cells in the body. The problem is that it isn't exactly a cure and we don't know how long it'll last." She walked near his bedside and placed a hand on his forehead, a sigh escaping her. "It's not much... but he's alive."

"Which brings us to why you're here, Sora," Ira said, turning to give said boy his attention. "Geostigma has been upsetting the balance. It's been a problem for years, but it's steadily becoming an epidemic that's affecting the stability of many worlds. We're running out of time. We have the best minds in the galaxy undergoing extensive research in hopes of looking for a cure but we're not having much luck." Ira looked at Sora, though his eyes concealed under his mask. "Sora, as the key bearer, we ask that you begin to consider helping with the geostigma effort."

"Me?" Sora asked. "It's not that I don't want to help, but wouldn't a medical staff be better fit for a job like that? I'm not exactly the best when it comes to the science-y stuff."

"We've begun to suspect that something else might be at play that goes beyond science. The disease is spreading at such an expeditious rate that it's become questionable," Ira explained. "We want you to figure out what's been going on. There must be something upsetting the balance so much that it would cause what could be the brink of a plague."

"A plague?" Sora crossed his arms and closed his eyes. "You want me to stop the plague?"

"I understand it's a lot to ask of you. We've done our best to keep your ownership of the Kingdom Key a secret from the general public to ensure you as normal of a life as possible, but our options are running thin. You won't be in this alone," Ira assured. "We have some of our top veterans working on this with us as well but we've still come up empty handed on finding a solution. That's why we're asking you. You're the key bearer. There are billions of people all over the galaxy and yet, out of all of them, the Keyblade deemed you worthy of handling whatever threatens the safety of the worlds and those who live among them. If there's anyone to turn to in a crisis, it's you, Sora."

Sora averted his eyes. "I don't know..."

Master Xehanort opened his eyes and stood from his chair, making his way over to Sora and placing a supportive hand on his shoulder—his grip firm but reassuring. "It can't be easy," Xehanort said. "Being chosen for such a high responsibility at your age is a bit unprecedented. I'm sure it's a great source of stress for you, m'boy?"

Sora nodded. "Yes, sir."

"I can sympathize," Xehanort said. The old man closed his eyes as he repressed his pain. Memories of he and his best friend as teenagers training together ran through his mind like a slideshow. "But, you see, Eraqus has been with me since we were children. He's more than a best friend—he's my brother. I visit him everyday and it pains me to see him edging closer to death each time. So, I ask you, as a man on the verge of losing his brother... please help us."

Sora took one last look at the deteriorating body of Eraqus. For whatever reason, the Keyblade chose him to be the light within the darkness; to uplift the spirits of the weak. Sora thought about Squall's words from the day prior. Sora thought about Riku and how he would feel if he ever lost his own best friend—someone he considered a big brother. Whether he liked it or not, there were people counting on him. Not just in Destiny Islands but across the entire galaxy. It was an overwhelming thought but, according to the Keyblade, Sora was fit to challenge these issues and come out with a solution. The Keyblade had never been wrong before. The least he could do was stop moping about what he wanted and try for the sake of others.

Sora looked into Xehanort's eyes, disheartened and desperate, and clenched his fist. "Okay. I'll do my best."

Xehanort smirked. "That's reassuring. You know how to put an old man's heart at ease."

"So, uh, what should I do to help?" Sora asked.

"We think it's time for you to start thinking about setting off on your journey before the end of the summer and start fulfilling your role as the chosen one," Ira said. "Go see other worlds. Help people in need. See what you can find out and if there's anything that can give us leverage over what's been happening."

"Meaning... I'll have to leave home," Sora realized with a sigh.

"Hey," Aqua said gently as she pulled him into a hug. When she pulled away, she looked him in the eyes. "We're with you on this."

Sora shook his melancholy aside and did his best to give Aqua a smile before nodding. "I know."

"I'm glad to hear you're willing to try, Sora," Ira said. "I understand this may be a lot to take in so we'll allow you a few more weeks of preparation. Until then, I look forward to working with you. Together, we just might be able to save lives."

With a determined look and a newfound resolve, Sora gave him his best attempt at a smile. He still wasn't completely convinced he was the guy for the job but what mattered was that he would do his best. "Right!"

Eraqus began to stir out of his sleep, catching the eyes and ears of everyone else in the room. Aqua was quick hold his hand affectionately as his eyes slowly opened. "Master?"

The weak and frail Eraqus squinted at Aqua as he tried to make out her face through his blurry vision. When she came into view, he gave a weak smile. "Aqua," he said with his hoarse voice. "Good to see you."

Aqua smiled back. "It's good to see you, too."

"I hope you rested well, Master," Ira said. "We'd like you to meet someone. This is Sora Valentine. He says he's willing to help."

Sora stepped up once his name was called. "Ah, so this is the Sora I've heard so much of," Eraqus said.

"Yeah, that's me, I guess," Sora said as he scratched his cheek with embarrassment. "I'm really sorry you have to go through this. No one deserves this."

"You've nothing to apologize for," Eraqus said, his voice weak and hoarse. "To be blunt, I've been through worse than a death bed." A light chuckle spread across the room. "If anything, I'm grateful. I've been fortunate enough to have Xehanort looking over me. Surprised he hasn't just put me out of my misery already."

"Hmph," Xehanort huffed with a smirk. "You're not getting off the hook that easily, old-timer. We'll get you through this."

"Whatever lies on the path ahead," Eraqus said wistfully. "Destiny is never left to chance. Would you agree, brother?"

"Indeed," Xehanort agreed.

Eraqus sat up with a little help from Aqua to get a closer look at the young man that stood before him. "So, you're the Keyblade's chosen. That's quite an honor."

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Not really sure why I got chosen, but I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."

Eraqus smiled. "If the Keyblade is confident in you, then so am I," he said. "The only thing I request of you is that you not lose sight of yourself. There will be times in life when we're tempted to give in to despair and things seem hopeless, but you mustn't let your spirit stumble. If the Keyblade has deemed you worthy, then all you must do is trust the guidance your heart gives."

"Don't lose sight of myself and trust my heart," Sora repeated, making sure the words sunk in. "Got it."

Aqua checked the time on her phone. "We should get going, Sora."

"Yes, I think we've said more than enough," Ira agreed. "Thank you for coming, you two."

"Sure thing!" Sora said as he turned to leave with Aqua at his side. Before they walked out of the door, however, Sora stopped in his tracks and gave Eraqus one final look. "I'll make this right. I promise."

Sora never took his promises lightly.

Eraqus nodded back as a sign of acknowledgement before Sora and Aqua exited his hospital room. The Master and her apprentice made their way back to the parking lot and entered Aqua's car.

"So, where to now?" Sora asked. "I should probably get back to training, right?"

"That's one option," Aqua said as she started her car. "Though, I did have one last errand in mind for today."

"What's that?"

"Well, how does going to the Guardian Festival sound?"

Sora's eyes went wide and his mouth formed an "O" shape at the sound of what her supposed errand was. "Wha—really?!"

"Mmm hmm," Aqua hummed, amused with the excitement beaming on his face. "I think you've more than earned a break, Sora. Take it as my gratitude for you being so accommodating lately."

"Yes!" Sora chanted as he practically bounced up and down in his seat like a kid high on a sugar rush. "You're the best, Aqua!"

She gave a smile as she backed out of her spot and drove into the road. "I know, Sora. I know."

* * *

Naminé was brushing her hair at Kairi's vanity when her phone buzzed, signaling a text message. It was from Roxas telling her that he, Riku, and Xion were less than ten minutes away from their place to pick her and Kairi up. Naminé was grateful he didn't call her of all things, but her anxiety kicked back in when she realized she would have to ride with Riku and Xion—two people she had no real problems with but wasn't exactly familiar with either. She made a mental note to make sure she sat next to Roxas if she could. Only because sitting next to Riku or Xion would make her feel awkward, of course—no other reason.

"Kairi, they're on their way," Naminé shouted.

"'Kay, I'm just about ready," Kairi called back from down the hall in the bathroom. A few moments later, Kairi returned to her room all dressed up in her outfit for the day squealing. "I'm so excited! I cannot believe Roxas convinced you to come to the festival with us."

Naminé groaned. "I told you already, I was the one who suggested we go today. Not him."

"Yeah, but you're still going because of him," Kairi stated as if it were obvious. "Right?"

"Maybe I'd just like to go out and have fun for a change," Naminé said as she continued brushing her hair.

"We're talking about you here, Naminé," Kairi reminded. "Soooo, what if Roxas decided he wasn't going at the last minute? Would you still go?"

"Can you go outside and check to see if they're out there?"

"I'll take that as a stubborn nooo," Kairi sang.

Naminé rolled her eyes while Kairi went downstairs. As usual, she was reading into things too much. However, she did inwardly admit that if it weren't for Roxas going, she likely wouldn't go herself. Roxas had a way of making her feel safe and protected, but that didn't mean she saw him as anything more than a friend she placed a great deal of trust in.

Mocchi approached the contemplating Naminé and the bespectacled girl scratched behind her ears as a morning greeting. It was a decent enough distraction from her thoughts. Whatever the case, Naminé only hoped she could keep her anxiety in check for the remainder of the day.

"Wish me luck, Mocchi."

After one final look in the mirror, Naminé decided she was satisfied with how she looked and headed downstairs, ignoring the pulsating of her heart. When she got to the bottom step, she almost bumped into her father.

"Oh. Sorry, Dad," she apologized. He had two mugs in his hands.

"Don't worry about it," he said. "I was just looking for you. Coffee?" He offered her one of the mugs and Naminé accepted graciously.

"Thank you!" She took a long sip from her coffee and allowed the warmth to course through her body before she felt eyes locked on her. She stopped drinking and made eye contact with him. Was it just her or did he seem... sad? "What's wrong?"

Snow shook his head. "Nothing. Was just thinking about how Jecht's retiring after this season. Guy's been in the game for almost twenty-five years. I remember watching that guy when he was a college rookie."

"They grow up so fast, don't they?" Naminé joked, moving past him into the kitchen to finish the last of her coffee.

"Yeah..."

After finishing her coffee, Naminé went towards the sink and took it upon herself to wash the mug. Snow stayed somewhat close behind.

"So, you must've been really tired yesterday, huh?" Snow asked. "You told me you'd take a nap and I don't think I heard much from you after that."

"Yeah, I was out cold pretty much the whole day," Naminé said, turning off the sink and shaking her wet hands before grabbing a hand towel to properly dry them. "Oh! I forgot we were going to watch a movie, weren't we? I'm so sorry!"

"No, I understand," Snow said. "I'm sure you were very tired. Some other time."

"That's a promise." Naminé beamed at him.

Snow couldn't help but notice how much more energetic Naminé had become recently. It seemed like only a few weeks ago she had permanent bags under her eyes and dragged herself around the house on the rare occasion she left her room. The Naminé in front of him seemed to have a glow he didn't recognize from her since she was a little girl. Considering he just caught her in a lie, the pieces were falling into place.

"Why are you dressed up?" Snow asked. "Going somewhere?"

"Oh, yes. I decided to go with Kairi to the festival," Naminé said.

"You are?" Snow asked, almost in disbelief. "I thought it wasn't your scene."

"It isn't," Naminé said shyly. "But I suppose I'm willing to give it a try."

Snow seemed to pause for a moment. "I see."

Kairi slipped into the kitchen and gave Snow a brief hug. "Morning, Daddy!"

"Morning, sweetheart," Snow said distantly.

"They're not out there yet, Nam," Kairi said. "I'm sure someone will call one of us in a minute so don't worry."

Snow looked back and forth between his daughters. "Who are we talking about?"

"My friends...?" Kairi answered. "They're on their way. You said I could ride with them to the festival today, remember?"

Snow remembered. He just hadn't known Naminé would be going to the festival. That changed everything. "Who are these friends of yours? Just out of curiosity."

Kairi began counting them off with her fingers. "Riku, Roxas, and Xion."

Once Kairi said Roxas, that was all Snow needed to hear. "Actually, I just had a crazy thought. I'll go to the festival, too."

"You are?" Kairi asked. "But I thought yesterday you said you didn't want to deal with the crowds."

"Claire's words got to me. I think we should spend more time together as a family," he halfway lied. "The festival just happens to be convenient. I dealt with it for your mother so I can deal with it for you girls, too."

Kairi seemed to buy it. "That's great! We'll see you there, then."

As Kairi was about to leave the kitchen, Snow stopped her in her tracks with his arm. "And that's not all," he said. "I'm going to drive you there myself."

"What?" Kairi asked. "Why? You said I could ride with my friends last night."

"And now I'm saying I want to drive the both of you. For... quality time together," he excused poorly. "Look, I'm not restricting you from hanging out with them once we arrive but I'm taking you there myself. Just so I know where you two will be at."

Kairi and Naminé shared a look. In the end, Kairi shrugged. "If you say so," she said. She didn't really care as long as they were still able to go. Naminé didn't think much of it either. In fact, she preferred riding with her father and Kairi than Riku and Xion.

"But first, I'll need your gummiphones," Snow said.

"Again... why?" Kairi asked, beginning to grow frustrated as she placed her hands against her hips.

"Because I said so," Snow growled. He didn't want to reveal his true intentions now that he knew Roxas would be coming. If the girls' phones were off, it would likely force one of those three to come to the door. Regardless of who it ended up being, Snow didn't care. He would make sure he met this Roxas guy. "Turn 'em off and hand 'em here."

Kairi and Naminé both exchanged another confused glance but did as they were told—Kairi seemed a bit more perturbed about it than her sister.

"If we're riding together, I want us to actually talk like a family should, not have you girls glued to your... FaceChats or... whatever."

Kairi rolled her eyes. "You're old, Dad. We get it."

Snow decided to let that comment slide. "Make sure you guys got everything before we go," he reminded.

"Shoot, I almost forgot my sketchbook," Naminé said as she ran upstairs.

"Do you seriously have to bring that thing everywhere?" Kairi asked.

"You never know when inspiration might hit!" Naminé shouted as she was already halfway upstairs.

Outside the house, Riku pulled up to the front of the Villiers residence. Xion made it a point to sit in the middle of the backseat next to Roxas so she wouldn't have to stomach seeing Roxas sit next to _her_ as they whispered in each other's ears like members of a secret club.

"Did you get a hold of her, Roxas?" Riku asked from the front.

"No, Naminé hasn't texted me back," Roxas said. "She's not picking up either."

Xion wanted to barf every time he heard him say _her_ name. "I'll try Kairi," Xion said as she whipped out her phone and attempted to contact her friend. "She isn't picking up."

"Great." Riku sighed. He gave Xion an informative look through his mirror. "Looks like one of us is gonna have to get out of the car and walk all the way up to their porch and ring the doorbell."

"Not it!" Riku and Xion chanted the millisecond Riku finished his sentence.

Roxas, a.k.a the perpetual sucker, groaned in defeat. "I hate when you guys do that..."

As Roxas exited the car, Riku and Xion exchanged a victorious high-five. Though, Roxas did admit it probably made the most sense. He was the most familiar with the Villiers residence, after all. He rang the doorbell and awaited for one of the girls to answer. For some reason, he forgot about the other possibility that the one answering their door could be their father. That possibility ended up becoming a reality. Snow looked down at Roxas with a look of indifference.

Regardless of the slight thump in his chest, Roxas tried to maintain a cool composure. "Hi, sir. I'm, uh... I'm a friend of Naminé and Kairi. I was just wondering if they were home?"

"They are," Snow answered. "Cloud's boy, right?"

"That's right, sir. Roxas Strife."

Roxas extended his hand for a shake and Snow shook it, albeit with a firm grip. "I see."

"Hey, Rox!" Kairi said as she came up from behind Snow. "I see you've met my father. Don't let him intimidate you. He acts like a tough guy but he's just a big teddy bear deep down."

Roxas knew Kairi was joking but he couldn't help but feel like it was an ironic statement. Snow looked at him with what was seemingly a completely normal, borderline disinterested expression. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that Snow would've burrowed holes into him with his eyes if he could. Needless to say, Roxas wasn't sensing the inner teddy bear just yet.

"I'm sure he's a great man," Roxas said.

"Ugh, but we'll have to meet you guys there," Kairi explained. "My dad wants to drive us now. Sorry for making you guys come all the way out here."

"Actually, how about you ride with us, Strife?" Snow asked.

Both Roxas and Kairi were caught off guard with Snow's sudden offer. "Are you sure, sir?" Roxas asked.

"You seem to be such a good friend of my girls so I figure they might enjoy having you in the car with them," Snow explained. "I insist."

Kairi didn't buy her father's sudden charitable spirit and figured he was up to something. She kept her thoughts to herself.

"Um... I don't see why not," Roxas answered. He turned around and called out to Riku, who had his window rolled down. "I'm gonna be riding with them to festival, guys. I'll meet you there."

Riku and Xion were both taken aback by his statement. "Are you sure?" Riku called back.

"Yeah, I'll see you there!"

"Okay," he called back before driving down the street.

Right on cue, Naminé came downstairs hugging her sketchbook to her chest and froze in place once she saw Roxas standing by the doorway with Snow and Kairi. He caught sight of her and gave her a grin.

"Hey," he greeted.

Naminé shook off her confusion and found the willpower to greet him back. "Hey."

"He'll be riding with us," Snow said, carefully studying Naminé.

"Oh... really?" Naminé asked. It was just one surprise after the other, wasn't it?

Roxas shrugged. "It could be fun."

Snow briefly looked between Roxas and Naminé, making sure to study every facet of their interactions. "All right, then. Let's hit the road."

* * *

"I can't believe it. He found a way to ditch us. Again!"

Riku had been listening to Xion rant for the past five minutes since they pulled off from the Villiers residence. She had since climbed up to the passenger seat next to him. So much for her master plan to sit next to Roxas before Naminé could get the chance to. Of course it would end up that he rides in the same car as Naminé—completely out of her sight. Now she had no idea whether or not they'd be sitting together getting all giggly as usual but knowing her rotten luck...

"I'm sure there's more to it than that," Riku said. "Roxas wouldn't just up and leave like that if there wasn't a reason. Maybe their dad offered and he didn't want to be rude."

"Don't know, don't care," Xion said, crossing her arms. "Either way, I bet it was his perfect little opportunity to have an excuse to be with _her_ without having us around. I bet he's sitting next to _her_ right now, acting like they're all cute even though they're totally not. It's official, Riku. The universe is conspiring against me."

"You should really stop referring to her like that and just call her Naminé," Riku said with a sigh. "You sound really childish."

"I will refer to _her_ however I want," she spat back. Riku only shook his head. "I mean, who does she think she is? Just waltzing into Destiny Islands with her little _ocean blue_ eyes and her little _cutesy_ smile and her _quirky_ glasses. Ugh. You know, I bet that little shy thing she's got going on is just an act. That's how she reels them in. She's probably a real bitch."

Riku chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Xion asked in an irritated tone. "I would very much like to know, Riku."

"Seeing you get jealous over the competition is more entertaining than I thought it'd be."

"Noooo, I am not jealous," Xion denied with finger erected matter-of-factly. "I just find everything about her distasteful but also wouldn't mind having some of it for myself so that I can show her how it's done while wishing she had never been born."

"...Right."

Xion groaned and covered her eyes with her hands. "I don't know what to do, Riku," she said. "I saw the way they talked to each other at the dinner party. I just feel like—the way he looks at her... it's different from the way he's ever looked at me."

"Well, it's understandable," Riku said. "You're his best friend and you've been his best friend ever since you were kids. He probably views you the same way he'd view a sister. Compared to the new girl, you're already at a disadvantage. But don't take that as you not being good enough. The friendzone is a tricky maze but it isn't unbeatable."

Xion sighed. "Easier said than done."

Riku eyed her downtrodden demeanor before setting his eyes back on the road. "We just need to get Roxas to see you in a different light."

"Didn't we already try that with the dinner party?" Xion asked. "I don't think it helped much."

"Yeah, but you just you have to be consistent with it," Riku said. "I mean, look at what you're wearing right now."

She looked down at her blank tank top and shorts, a standard summer outfit for her, and gaped at him. "What's wrong with my clothes?"

"Look, I'm just saying, you're asking for the friendzone if you're still wearing that around a guy you like who's known you since the second grade."

Xion replaced her offended expression with a more disheartened one. "Is it really okay to change who I am for someone?"

"I'm not talking about changing who you are; just bringing out a different side of you," he clarified. "Remember my plan?"

"Oh, you mean that dumbass idea you told me about before?" Xion spat. "What of it?"

"Say what you want. The offer is still on the table. Not only do I think it'll help Roxas see you in a different light, but it'll help with your own confidence too," he explained. "But I can't make you go through with it. The choice is yours, Xi."

Xion looked at Riku for a while before staring blankly at the road ahead.

* * *

Snow insisted Kairi sit next to him during the car ride. He wanted Roxas and Naminé to sit together in the back so that he could study their interactions. Every once in a while, he would glance at them through his rearview mirror. He caught the way they would steal glances at one another and laugh whenever the conversation came to a brief halt. It was as if they found the situation they were in, being in the back of the car that belonged to Naminé's father while on their way to a festival, endlessly entertaining. During this time, Naminé opened her sketchbook and began drawing. Roxas got a little closer to her than Snow was comfortable with as she scribbled her rough sketch. He was especially not accustomed to the shy smiles she would give him or the way she would tuck her hair behind her ear more often than usual.

Snow didn't know what to feel. On one hand, it was nice to see his daughter close to someone aside from Kairi or Claire. Yet the idea of her being of the age where the opposite sex, or in some cases the same sex, was becoming more appealing to her was something he wasn't willing to accept.

At long last, they were nearing the festival. It was hard to miss the large pool of people crowding the streets where the festival was being held. After what felt like an eternity, Snow found a parking spot.

"You girls go on ahead," Snow said as everyone was unbuckling. "I want to have a chat with Strife here. Ask him a few questions about his father since he'll be one of the people celebrated at this shindig."

"'Kay. I'm gonna go find Xion and Riku," Kairi said as she exited the car. Naminé stayed put.

"I'll just wait for Roxas," she said.

Snow narrowed his eyes. "Go with your sister, sweetheart. He'll be there in a minute."

Naminé was left a bit miffed as to why she couldn't stick around if all her father was going to do was ask questions about Cloud but she didn't feel like putting up a fight and exited the car with Roxas saluting to her playfully as she left.

"Up here," Snow said, patting the seat next to him.

Roxas hesitated but exited the back of the car and got into the passenger seat. He wasn't one to get nervous often but something about being in a car alone with Naminé's father put him on edge.

"So," Snow said, making Roxas give him his attention, "the son of Cloud Strife, huh?"

"Yeah," Roxas said somewhat bashfully, rubbing the back of his head. "He's a pretty niche guy no one ever really talks about, you know?"

Snow gave a very light chortle. "I'm sorry he's gone and for what happened to him. Heard you were pretty young when it happened."

Roxas shook his head. "Don't sweat it. Ancient history."

The car was still for a moment before Snow reopened the gates of conversation. He figured he wouldn't beat around the bush much and get to his real reasoning for holding him.

"You seem very familiar with my daughters."

Roxas had an idea where this was going. "Yeah, Kairi hangs out with us all the time now," Roxas said. "She fits right in with everyone. It's almost like she was always there."

"Kairi has that way about her," Snow said. "You seem pretty close to Naminé in particular, though. At the dinner, she pretty much clung to you the whole evening."

"She wouldn't let me out of her sight for long," Roxas said in good humor. "I don't think it was a big deal. She just doesn't like being by herself in crowds."

"Hm. Well, she seems to really trusts you. Pretty impressive. If I know my daughter, she isn't one to trust very easily."

"You think so?" Roxas asked. "That means a lot coming from you, sir."

"But trust is fragile," Snow continued. "It can be broken and pretty easily at that. Sometimes by the people you care about the most."

Roxas spared Snow a brief glance but kept his eyes trained ahead.

"I won't sugarcoat anything with you, Strife. I'm gonna speak to you as if we were on equal footing, man to man," Snow said. "So, I'm going to be upfront with you: I don't trust easily. Trust needs to be earned and respect has to be gained. And let me tell you, Strife, there's nothing more important to me in my life right now than my family. I have to protect my family and keep them together at all costs. I might not be a teddy bear like Kairi says but I damn sure will do what needs to be done to keep them safe. That's my job. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"After Serah was murdered in cold blood by someone I thought I could call a friend—in front of my daughter," he trailed off, "it felt like everyone was responsible."

"I'm really sorry for what happened to your wife," Roxas said with as much sincerity as he could muster.

"Ancient history," Snow said, repeating Roxas's own words from earlier. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"How do you feel about Naminé?"

Roxas expected the conversation to steer in this direction eventually, yet the question still felt like a smack in the face. He opened his mouth but stopped himself. He didn't want to make assumptions on what the question entailed. "Well, she's become a good friend," he answered. "I think she's a lot of fun to be around when she lets her hair down a little."

Snow didn't say anything for another few seconds—which didn't help to put Roxas at ease. "How did you two meet?"

Roxas carefully constructed his answer in his head. He recalled Naminé telling him how Snow caught her and Kairi the day after the annual Destiny Islands beach party. He just had to hope that was a safe bet. "I met her at this party," Roxas answered. "This girl was bullying Naminé and I figured could step in and help her out. She looked like she could use a friend. So, I drove her home that night. But, uh, that's all that happened," he assured in a panic. He didn't want Snow to get the wrong idea. "She was still pretty nervous around me at the time."

Snow found his answer interesting, as he recalled Naminé specifically telling him she didn't meet any boys at the party, let alone get in the same car as one. "And you've been spending a lot of time with her since, I assume?"

Roxas gulped. "We mostly talk through text messages. Not one on one, though. We're in a group chat together," he lied.

"So, you don't spend time together much in person?"

Roxas hated lying to him but he had to cover for the both of them. "Not really. Naminé doesn't really like coming outside much."

Snow remembered coming home one day to a messy kitchen and an empty pizza box in their living room. Naminé said Kairi ordered it for her but it was an obvious lie. But the money came from somewhere. "You work, Strife?"

"Oh, uh, yeah," Roxas answered. "I work part-time on weekdays at this place called Shoyu Shoyu. My boss closed the shop for Guardians Week, though."

"Hmmm," Snow hummed, mulling Roxas's words over. "I've heard rumors, Strife. Heard SOLDIER was looking to recruit you. Any merit in that?"

"Uh... y-yeah, it's true," Roxas said.

It was a while before Snow spoke up again. The way he tapped his finger against the dashboard nearly made Roxas sweat with anticipation. "I don't mean to put you on the spot, Strife, but I have to ask you this one more time: how do you feel about Naminé?"

Roxas began lightly tapping his foot. "In what way, sir?"

"Let's not play dumb," Snow said, slightly irritated. "Are you interested in Naminé?"

"I... umm," Roxas began, struggling to find the proper words. What was he supposed to say to a question he himself didn't know the answer to? He decided to give his honest answer for once. "I don't know, sir. But... I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility."

Snow was expecting an answer like that. After silence overtook the conversation once again, he took a deep breath and exhaled loudly as he processed all of the information he was given. Roxas felt his heart pumping louder than he was comfortable with. He almost jumped when Snow placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You don't seem like a bad guy, Strife," Snow said, much to Roxas's surprise. "You seem like a good kid."

Roxas felt his heart rate slow down. "Thank you, sir."

"But things aren't always what they seem," Snow continued. It seemed like there was always a catch with Snow. "I learned that the hard way. So, you'll have to forgive me if I seem a little protective of my daughters. They're the only things keeping me going in this world. Don't take anything I might say personally, but I need to be transparent with you about this."

Roxas didn't respond.

"I haven't given my daughters permission to date," Snow said, his grip on Roxas's shoulder tightening, "and I don't plan to until they're eighteen, at the very least. You might have Cloud's blood coursing through your veins but that doesn't mean you'll be an exception. I especially don't need a potential SOLDIER to be involved with them. Naminé in particular doesn't need that kind of chaos in her life."

"I don't have any intention of joining them."

"That's not the point. The fact they've got their eyes on you—the fact that you're related to someone as controversial as Cloud—that makes you a target, for better or worse. If it isn't SOLDIER, it's someone else. I don't want that kind of energy around them. You understand me?"

Roxas nodded reluctantly. "Yes, sir."

Snow released his grip from Roxas's shoulder. "I'm not saying you can't be their friend. But I don't want you involved with either of them in that way. Just thought I should give you a fair warning before either of you get carried away." Snow narrowed his eyes. "Especially with Naminé. She's been through a lot. She has enough trauma as it is and the last thing she needs is someone piling on more than she can handle."

"With all due respect—Mr. Villiers—I don't think you're giving Naminé enough credit. She's stronger than she looks."

"You don't get to fucking tell me about my daughter when you weren't around when these things happened, Strife," Snow spat aggressively. "Understand?"

"...Understood."

After getting worked up so much, Snow had to cough a bit and clear up his throat. He took out a pack of cigarettes, lit one up, and inhaled from the appropriate end. He rolled the window, allowing all of his stress to escape with a single blow of his own smoke. "Sorry, I just—"

"No, no. I get it."

"—I can't take any chances. I need you to understand that."

"I do."

"I hope so," Snow said. "Because if you don't, and I see you're trying to get involved with Naminé in a way I don't like, there's going to be a problem. You don't want a problem. Not with me. Understood?"

"Yeah... yeah, I hear you," Roxas said. "If I had daughters, I'd probably feel the same way."

Once Snow got a better look at Roxas's eyes, he backed off. He nodded. "Glad you understand." Snow pulled out his phone. "I think I've held you up long enough. You go on ahead, Strife. I'll catch up in a second. I'm going to finish this." He gestured to his cigarette. "Do me a favor and don't mention the cigs to Naminé or Kairi, will you? They don't like when I use 'em."

"I won't."

"'Atta boy." Snow inhaled another puff of smoke before giving Roxas one last look. "Just remember to keep a healthy distance."

"...Yes, sir."

Roxas exited the car with an upset stomach. He set his hands in his pockets as he walked closer to the grandiose festival ahead with his unorganized thoughts. The entire block was closed off for the festival. He stopped for a moment when he saw Naminé watching the crowded street in the near distance as she held her sketchbook close. He chuckled once he realized that seeing how packed the festival had likely become another source of anxiety for her.

"Aren't you gonna head in?"

She turned to face him with parted lips before settling into a smile. She shook her head. "Not without you."

Roxas felt his heart skip. "Me?"

"Designated bodyguard, remember?" Naminé reminded playfully. "Besides, I'm uh... pretty sure I'd cry if I got lost in that crowd."

"I'm sure you would, too," Roxas said with a smirk. He noticed the hesitant look in her eyes as she watched the busy streets. "You nervous?"

"A little bit," she admitted. "I haven't been to something like this since I was really little and I wouldn't say I was a big fan back either." She looked at him. "But you're here at least. I think I'll live."

Snow was right. Naminé really did trust him. It made him happy but his conversation with her father was still fresh in his mind.

Naminé tilted her head to the side slightly. "What's wrong?"

Roxas shook his head. "Nothing. We should probably look for the others."

Naminé walked over and clung to his arm to make sure she wouldn't lose him in the sea of people ahead of them. "Lead the way."

In any other instance, Roxas would've been completely fine with the gesture. However, knowing how close behind Snow might have been, he didn't want to take a chance. It pained him to do it, but Roxas gently shirked his arm away and pressed forward."

"Yeah," he said uneasily. Still, he tried to reassure her with a smile. "Let's get going."

_**Memories of Premonition** _


	14. Chapter 14

Roxas,

Nostalgia is such a bittersweet thing, isn't it?

It's like on one hand, it's so fulfilling to have such cherished memories that transport you back to such a lovely time in your life when everything in that moment seemed so shiny and perfect. It's almost euphoric. Those happy, blissful times can be the very thing you need to keep going during a rough day.

But what can also come with it is a feeling of sadness—because you know you can never go back. You always have to push forward and those windows of time can only be remembered, but we can never relive them. It's not until those moments are gone that we realize how precious they were. I guess we just take life for granted sometimes. I was talking to my nephew the other day and I was telling him to enjoy his childhood. Relish it. Don't be in a rush to grow up like a lot of kids are. I want him to fully embrace the joys of childhood, because those memories might end up being therapeutic someday.

Uh, sorry. Didn't mean to get all depressing.

I guess I was just feeling kind of nostalgic today. We've had some really good times, haven't we? I don't think I'll ever forget our first Guardian Festival together.

* * *

To say that the area was crowded was a severe understatement but Kairi didn't mind. She enjoyed the smiling faces of children, teens and adults who laughed together in circles of small talk, cute T-shirts and hats, not to mention the prop Buster Swords and wigs that came with the many cosplays of former guardians of light. Along the wide road was a variety of booths lined up against the sidewalks and the act of waiting by a food stand might as well have been a social gathering in of itself.

Further down the road was where all of the main events were. There were rollercoaster rides, attractions, exhibits and museums, restaurants—a full-fledged amusement park. In the middle of it all was a large stadium where hundreds, maybe even thousands, would gather for the annual struggle tournament that took place on the last day of the festival. Kairi looked forward to seeing Riku compete in it this year.

After spending what felt like forever on a video call with Xion, Kairi finally managed to locate her and Riku leaving one of the many crowded stands, each carrying a stick of dango dumplings.

"Hey!" Kairi said as she ran towards them, waving furiously.

"About time, girl," Xion said as caught up to them. Kairi shared a hug with them both.

"Almost thought we'd need to report you to the lost and found," Riku joked as he pulled back.

"Sorry," Kairi apologized. "It's just a little hard to get around all the people. It was pretty packed at the Guardian Festivals we had back at Radiant Garden but it was never like _this._ I think it's even worse today than it was yesterday."

"A ton of people travel to the islands around this time of year since a lot of money goes into our version of the festival for the tourists," Xion said somewhat exasperatingly. "It's a blessing and a curse."

"It's kind of nice, though," Kairi said optimistically, "seeing so many people come together to celebrate something as important as the ones who keep our worlds safe. But the best part about it is that it isn't without having fun. The more the merrier! I just hope Naminé doesn't get too overwhelmed."

Xion wanted to gag at _her_ name but kept a cool front out of respect for Kairi.

"Where is she, anyway?" Riku asked.

"Not sure," Kairi answered. "If I had to guess, probably somewhere with Roxas. She told me she would be sticking with him most of the time, so I don't imagine they'd be too far from each other." She leaned in a little closer to them as if she had a big secret to spill. "Naminé won't admit it, but I think she's starting to have a crush on him. Which, I am _so_ here for! I think they'd be super adorable together."

"Y-Yeah," Xion agreed weakly. She averted her eyes for a moment and spared a quick glance at Riku. As if reading her mind, he nodded to her. "I, uh... I'll catch up with you guys later. I'm gonna find a bathroom."

"Oh, we'll come with you then," Kairi offered.

"No, that's okay," Xion said as she backed away. "I don't want to hold you guys up. I think I might be there for, uh... a while."

Kairi opened her mouth to protest but Riku beat her to it. "Then we'll catch up with you later," he said. In his eyes, it was a nice excuse to get some alone time with Kairi.

Kairi's lips tightened into a straight line as she wondered why Xion was acting a tad strange, but she decided not to pry too much. "Well, okay. Call me when you're out so we can meet up a little later."

"Will do," Xion said before scampering off, leaving just Riku and Kairi by themselves—something Riku was very grateful for.

"And then there were two," Riku said.

"Yeah, guess I'm stuck with you," Kairi said, but the smile on her face made it clear that it wasn't a real bother.

Riku smirked. "Just admit you were secretly hoping it'd turn out this way."

"I was actually hoping Yuna Toriyama would show up so I could ditch all of you for her, but... I suppose you'll do," Kairi quipped. "In all seriousness, finding everyone and meeting up is going to be a nightmare."

"No telling where in the world Axel and Larxene are."

"I don't think I _want_ to know where they are or _what_ they're likely doing together," Kairi said with a grimace. Axel and Larxene were known to be adventurous in public places. Kairi took on a wistful appearance as she looked towards the bright sky. "But we have a beautiful day ahead of us, right?"

Riku followed her line of sight. "That, we do."

"So, let's make the most of it while everyone's together and have some fun," Kairi said. Her smile faltered. "Well, almost everyone. It's too bad Sora couldn't be here. We could've had the whole gang together."

Riku sighed. He knew exactly why his best friend wasn't there. "Yeah. It's a real shame. Sora loves the Guardian Festival. It's one of his favorite times of the year."

"I wonder what he feels the need to train so much for anyway," Kairi asked.

Riku had to carefully construct his response. When Sora confided in him two years prior that he had been declared the Keyblade's chosen one by the higher ups after having a Dive to the Heart, he made Riku promise not to tell anyone—not even their friends, making him and Xion the only ones in their circle to know, and he the only one to know outside of Sora's family. He was well aware that Sora wasn't exactly jumping to the call and he hated that he was always being left out.

"Sora... has a lot of responsibilities," Riku answered carefully.

"What kind of responsibilities?" Kairi asked. She giggled. "Don't tell me he thinks he's going to save the world someday."

"You'd be surprised," Riku answered with a humorless chuckle. "What, you're saying you wouldn't have faith in him if he did?"

"That's not what I'm saying at all. I would believe in him. He'd just need to believe in himself," Kairi answered honestly. "Sora has a big heart. He seems like the kind of guy who could swim his way out of any situation, don't you think?"

Riku was caught a little off-guard. Since when did she pay Sora so much attention? What hurt him even more was that he agreed with her. Riku looked away for a moment. "Maybe." He sighed. "As much as it kills me to admit it, it's not the same without him"

"Aww, does someone miss his boy toy?"

"Caught me red-handed," Riku said with a shrug. "Actually, I'm more upset that I won't be able to whoop him in the struggle tournament this year."

"Sora is going to make you eat those words someday," she teased. "When he does, I'll be the first to laugh at that cocky butt of yours."

"Now I think you have a little _too_ much faith in him," Riku teased. "So, where to?"

Kairi tapped her chin before a light bulb flashed above her head. "Ooh, I've been dying to see the Gelatin Bomb."

"Then we'd best get a move on," Riku said, offering his arm. "Shall we?"

Kairi scoffed at his dorky ways but hooked her arm with his regardless. Their journey to the Gelatin Bomb didn't come without a few detours. Kairi seemed to pull Riku in every direction whenever she spotted something she found interesting but he didn't mind. He loved how her eyes would light up whenever something caught her attention. He loved how she tugged on his arm and insisted that he just _had_ to see something. He loved seeing her smile that seemed to grow more radiant by the second. Riku wasn't really the excitable type, but he was more than fine with following his extroverted not-girlfriend around and watch her get excited enough for the both of them.

At one point, they came across a booth that offered a variety of masks ranging from being genuinely terrifying to outright silly. There were three glass bottles and one mask would be earned for each one crushed with a combined effort of a ball and a struggle bat.

"Okay, I definitely need at least one of these," Kairi said, finding a great source of amusement from the ridiculous masks available.

"This is the part where I become the ideal perfect date and win you a teddy bear, right?" Riku asked. "Except replace the stuffed toy with a creepy mask."

Kairi shook her head. "First of all, since when was this ever officially labelled a date?"

"Since every romantic comedy ever."

"You watch romantic comedies?"

"Irrelevant."

Kairi gave him a smirk. "Second of all, who ever said I needed you?" She flexed her one of her muscles. "See these guns? Need I remind you that my aunt taught me a thing or two? I can knock these out on my first try."

Riku raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, fine. Your dick is huge. By all means, show us the mastery of your ways."

"With pleasure!"

Riku was amused to learn that Kairi had a bit of a competitive side. She told the guy working the booth she would like to go for three masks. He handed her a struggle bat and Kairi got into position, firmly planting her feet against the ground and holding the bat above her head.

After the man pressed the appropriate button, a countdown starting from three to one was initiated above a hole in the wall. When it reached zero, it shot out one sphere at a time. Kairi confidently swung at each ball hurled her way and as she prophesized, she was able to crush each glass bottle with ease.

"Winner!" the man announced. "Three masks for the young lady with a dangerous swing."

"Woo hoo!" Kairi performed a quick victory dance as the booth blew out confetti from the top. Riku found the sight amusing. "Need I repeat: first try!"

"Color me impressed," Riku said.

Kairi used her finger to scan through the selection of masks until she landed on the perfect one. She picked it up and didn't hesitate to put it on immediately. She turned around, presenting herself to Riku in a horse mask as she posed like a model that had just finished strutting down the runway.

"How do I look?" she asked.

Riku shook his head but kept a grin. "Absolutely stunning."

"Why, thank you! It's hard work being this beautiful." The mask she picked next was similar to her horse getup but happened to be a donkey head instead. She offered it to Riku. "I think this would look perfect for you."

Riku waved her off. "I'm good, thanks."

"Awww, _Rikuuuu_ ," Kairi whined, her voice muffled through her mask. "Don't be a party pooper!"

"You know how obvious of a setup this is for a jackass joke, right?"

"Hee hee! Perceptive," Kairi admitted cheekily. She picked another mask from the shelf, this one being a pair of oversized glasses with bushy eyebrows, a honker of a nose, and a fuzzy mustache. "How about this?"

"Kairi," Riku sighed.

"Riku," Kairi pushed.

Riku groaned, realizing that Kairi wouldn't stop until she made him look just as silly and ridiculous as her. He begrudgingly took the mask from the horse girl and removed his own glasses before putting it on with the most humorless expression he could muster.

"Happy?" he droned.

"Honestly? I think it's an improvement," Kairi said amidst her laughter.

"Hack it up while you can."

A little boy walked up to Riku, looking at him with wide, curious eyes before a big smile overcame his face and he pointed at him. "Why are you wearing a mask like that, mister? You look like a weirdo!"

"Weirdo?" Riku echoed in shock. His pride only stung worse when Kairi started cackling harder. "Listen here, you little sh—"

Thankfully, the mother interrupted and profusely apologized to Riku before dragging her son away as she scolded him. Kairi removed her mask and shook her messy hair out of her face as she continued laughing at Riku's expense. Through the rims of his oversized glasses, he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Oh, don't be a baby," she said as her laughter settled and she patted his cheek teasingly. "Children will be children. Don't tell me your pride is wounded over something like that."

"You're just lucky none of the others are here to see this."

"Say chocobo!" said a third, all-too familiar voice. Riku didn't have time to react before the flash of a phone camera caught his eye, capturing the face of a baffled Riku wearing those silly glasses and an almost equally surprised Kairi right next to him.

Sora smiled at them from behind his phone. He gave his best friend a wink and a thumbs up. "Looking good, Riku!"

"Sora?" Riku said, hardly able to believe his own eyes.

"Sora," Kairi gasped as she approached him with a wide grin on her face. "You actually came!"

"Of course! Couldn't miss out on the Guardian Festival, right?"

"I hope you realize you're deleting that picture later," Riku said, half-serious and half-playfully.

"How come, Riku? I think your new look is an improvement," Sora teased.

"Ooh, ooh! That's what I said," Kairi agreed, raising her hand like a student in class.

Riku shrugged. "Laugh all you want. Bet I could still pull more numbers than you with it on, Sora," he said. Kairi crossed her arms and gave Riku an uncomfortable stare. "N-Not that I was planning to, obviously." He cleared his throat. "So, what are you doing here, Sora? I thought you were caught up with training."

"I thought so, too," Sora said. "But Aqua was the one who brought me. I guess she knew how much I wanted to come. We ended up picking up some family who happen to be in town on the way here, too."

"Family?" Kairi asked. "Who would that be?"

Sora opened his mouth to respond but stopped once a tiny voice intervened.

"Sora!"

Sora turned around, a big grin on his face, as he saw a little girl no older than five racing towards them. She had big, blue eyes and chestnut brown hair tied into a half-ponytail. She seemed to be carrying some sort of doll.

"Be careful, baby!" said another somewhat husky, but clearly feminine voice from even further behind. It was a girl who looked around the same age as Sora and Riku. She had long, thick black hair and green eyes with a modest tan. The older girl in particular made Riku stiffen. If he had been blessed with an invisibility quirk, this would have been the perfect time to put it to good use. Instead, he opted to look inattentive as he pretended to examine more of the masks on the rack behind him.

Once they caught up with Sora, the older girl was almost out of breath while the little girl was still charged with adrenaline. She latched onto Sora's leg and looked at him with a toothy grin. "Caught you!"

Sora chuckled as he crouched down and ruffled her hair. "You got me this time. But maybe next time you'll get caught by the terrifying tickle monster," he said in an exaggerated voice.

The little girl put on a look of dread as she held tightly to her doll as if it would protect her. "No, not the tickle monster!"

The older girl, still panting, bumped her fists against her hips and gave Sora a reprimanding look. "You ought to know better than to just run off like that, Sora."

Sora rubbed the back of his head with an apologetic grin. "Sorry, Amaya. But I told you guys I'd be right back."

"Still, you should be more careful," the older girl—presumably Amaya—chastised as she crossed her arms like a parent scolding her child. "You know how Haru likes to follow you around. She could've gotten hurt out there."

"Aww, no biggie," Sora said as he crouched down to level with Haru and ruffled her hair. "Haru's just fine. Isn't that right?"

"Yup!" the little girl agreed. "I'm a big girl, Amaya!"

Amaya sighed. She really did feel like a single mother at times, making sure her children didn't get themselves hurt.

Kairi loudly cleared her throat.

"Oh, right," Sora said, taking the hint. "Guys, I want you guys to meet Kairi. She moved to Destiny Islands this summer and she's become a fast friend of ours." He turned to Kairi. "Kairi, this is Amaya and Haru. They're my cousins and they came to visit with some other family for the rest of the summer."

"Nice to meet you," Kairi greeted Amaya cordially.

Amaya smiled at her. "Same here! Hope you've been enjoying your stay at the islands. My little sister and I come from Insomnia but we're well aware of how crazy it can get here sometimes."

"I love it here! It's been a lot of fun. Especially with having these guys around," Kairi said as she wrapped an arm around Sora's shoulders and placed her free hand on his chest. Her proximity, the glow in her indigo eyes, her strawberry scent, and the smile on her face as she gave Sora an expectant look was enough to make his temperature rise a few levels. "Right?"

"R-Right," Sora stammered.

Haru stared at Kairi for a moment before she let out a gasp. "Sora, is this the girl you were talking about?!"

Kairi gave Sora a curious look, which only made his face burn brighter. "Uh, haha, I don't know what you're talking about..."

Haru tilted her head to the side and put a finger to her chin. "But I thought you said there was a girl with red hair who was _suuuuper_ pretty?"

Sora glanced at the teasing grin Kairi was giving him. "I-I didn't say that!"

"Oh yeah?" Haru stared at her big cousin with furrowed brows and gave her doll an inquisitive look, as if she were calculating a math equation, before pointing at him accusingly. "How come your face is red?!"

"Wha—it's _not_ red," he denied.

"Yes it is!" Haru giggled.

Sora crossed his arms and averted his eyes. "I'm just, uh... sun burnt."

Kairi and Amaya exchanged a glance. When their eyes met, something clicked, and they shared a fit of giggles at Sora's transparency. Sora used the hood of his jacket to cover his eyes.

Kairi kneeled down to level with Haru with a smile. "And you are just the most adorable little thing."

"Thanks! Look what Sora won for me!" Haru flashed the doll she had been carrying this whole time. It looked like a pudgy blue alien with yellow antenna and its only facial features were two eyes with no mouth. "Her name is PuPu!"

Kairi couldn't say she found the plushie particularly cute, but it was sweet that Sora won it for her. She spared him grin. "Look at you, bein' a big bro."

Sora shrugged and lightly scratched his cheek with a bashful grin, still feeling the brunt of Haru's accusations that were most definitely false.

"Hmm?" Haru hummed, staring intently at her doll. Then she beamed at Kairi. "PuPu and I think you're really pretty, too!"

Kairi placed a hand to her chest. "Aww, that's so cute. Make sure to tell PuPu _and_ your big cousin that I said thanks," she emphasized as she looked up at Sora pretending to look distracted as his eyes wandered the busy scenery.

Haru looked at PuPu again and nodded, pulling her new doll into a hug. "She says you're welcome!"

Kairi chuckled before leaning in a little closer to Haru. "Think you can keep a secret just between us?"

Haru nodded vigorously with wide eyes. "Yeah! I'm like the best secret-keeper in the world!"

Amaya giggled at what was surely a very inaccurate claim on her little sister's behalf, but she didn't protest as Kairi covered her mouth and playfully whispered in Haru's ear. "I think Sora is super cute, too. But don't tell him I said anything," Kairi added with a wink.

Haru, proud and honored to be entrusted with what was surely a most sacred secret, performed the gesture of sealing her own lips.

Sora was growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. Kairi and Haru were already whispering secrets to each other? It couldn't get much worse.

On the other hand, Amaya smiled at their interaction. Haru seemed to always have a way of connecting with others easily—she was like another Sora in a lot of ways. However, she did have to wonder who the creepy guy in the mask pretending he wasn't listening was. Amaya didn't think much of him until she did a double take when she recognized that silver hair of his, despite it being cut since the last time she saw him, and squinted. "Riku?"

Riku winced when she said his name but slowly turned around to face her. Her curious, green eyes brought back a wealth of unwanted memories. "Uhh," Riku started dumbly. "Hey, Amaya."

"Riku?!" Haru said as she ran over to him. She laughed and pointed at his mask. "You look silly!"

Riku almost forgot he was wearing the stupid thing. He quickly removed the mask and put his real glasses back on before clearing his throat. "Hey, kid," he said before gesturing to his mask. "There is a very reasonable explanation for this." He spared a brief glare at Kairi.

When Riku made eye contact with Amaya, he gulped—the memories came back in full throttle. He remembered a five-year-old Amaya and her look of annoyance as she acted as the referee and judge to his and Sora's competitions. He remembered pranking an eight-year-old Amaya because she always gave him the most satisfying reactions. He remembered making fun of a thirteen-year-old Amaya for always reading her books instead of hanging out with the rest of them while secretly hiding his own fascination and admiration of her for pursuing knowledge. It reminded him of his own curiosity of the outside world.

Amaya's expression was blank until it dissolved with a giggle and she gave him a smile he was no stranger to.

"I see you haven't changed a bit," she said.

Riku felt his nerves settle. She spoke to him so casually—it felt like the last time they interacted was yesterday. As long as she didn't bring up _that_ night, he could get through this. "Could say the same to you. Looks like you still don't get much exercise with how out of breath you were when you got here, huh?"

"Hush," Amaya deadpanned.

"So, what were you guys about to do?" Sora asked.

"We were on our way to the Gelatin Bomb," Kairi answered. "Did you guys want to come with?"

"Me! Me! I do!" Haru shouted, jumping up and down. "I wanna see the Gelatin Bomb!"

"The Gelatin Bomb?" Amaya asked, pulling out a sheet of paper from her satchel. "Well, that wasn't what we had planned next on our schedule. If we do that, we'll have to switch the chocobo petting zoo to five o' clock tomorrow afternoon and push the Terra Brandford exhibit to five thirty. But we'll definitely need to squeeze in time for lunch and—" Amaya stopped when she realized they were all staring at her. "Wh-What?"

Riku scoffed. "Would you put that away? Seems like _you_ haven't changed a bit either."

Amaya smiled sheepishly. "Look, I just want to make sure we make the most out of the festival."

"Relax, Amaya. Even if we don't get to see everything today, we'll still have the rest of the week," Sora said.

Amaya sighed. "I guess you're right."

"Hey, I know!" Sora pulled out his gummiphone. "Before we go see the Gelatin Bomb, wanna snap a photo while we're all here?"

Everyone seemed to be in agreement with the suggestion, albeit Riku was more indifferent to the matter. They all bunched up together, with Sora lifting Haru up on his back, using his free hand to keep her in place while his other held his camera in the selfie position. Kairi put on her horse mask, making Riku grimace.

"You're really going to wear that?" Riku asked.

"Hee hee! Why not?" Kairi said. "You should wear your glasses. It'll make for a funny memory."

"I'm good."

"Pleeeeeease?" Haru begged. "You look so funny with it!"

"Which is why I refuse," Riku stated nonchalantly.

"Aww, see? How can you say no to a cutie like that?" Kairi prodded, poking Riku in his side.

"It's easy. Here, I'll show you," Riku said. He looked Haru right in her big, beautiful blue eyes. "No."

Kairi rolled her eyes beneath her mask. "Sorry, guys. Riku is too much of a manly man for frivolous little things like fun."

"Hey, I don't know about you guys, but I got a reputation to protect," Riku defended.

Amaya snorted. "What reputation?" she asked, making both her and Kairi snicker. Riku frowned. Since when did he become the butt of everyone's jokes?

"Hey, hand the glasses over here," Sora suggested. Riku raised a brow but handed the glasses to Haru, who in turn placed them over Sora's face. The sight made Haru burst into laughter. "Well, hello there, Haru!" he said in an over-the-top, highly exaggerated voice. "How do I look?"

"Silly!" Haru said through her laughter. Kairi smiled as she took note of Sora's willingness to do what it took to make Haru laugh. Amaya found it endearing as well. Riku scoffed, feeling that Sora was just as much of a child as Haru sometimes.

Everybody made their poses and got into the frame of the camera. Sora held the phone above their heads.

"You guys know the drill," Sora said, lining up the frame. "Say chocobo!"

"Chocobooo!"

After everyone was satisfied with the result, despite Sora and Kairi's ridiculous appearances, they headed towards the direction of the Gelatin Bomb. Sora and Kairi had both taken off their masks and Sora continued to carry Haru on his back. Kairi walked by their side while Riku and Amaya walked side-by-side a few feet behind.

Riku watched Sora and Kairi with a great amount of scrutiny. They seemed to be having a casual conversation with Haru shouting her own input whenever she saw fit. Every so often, the three would break out in laughter and Riku couldn't help but feel like he was being left out of an inside joke.

"Why the long face?" Amaya asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

Riku cleared his throat. "Nothing."

"Hmm," Amaya hummed to herself. She followed his line of sight. "Kairi seems like a sweet girl. What's your take on her?"

Riku raised an eyebrow. "What do you care?"

"I'm curious," she answered honestly. "It's been a while since you guys added someone into your circle. Plus, you can't seem to take your eyes off her. It makes me wonder if you like her at all."

"So what if I do?" Riku gave her a smirk. "You jealous?"

"Hardly," Amaya answered flatly, which stung Riku a little more than he cared to admit. "If anything, I'm worried. Especially since Sora seems to have a thing for her, too. Whether he wants to admit it or not."

Riku chuckled. "It's that obvious, huh?"

Amaya smiled. "Sora isn't really the best at hiding his true feelings. Pretty sure Kairi is aware as well." She frowned. "But I just don't want anything to come between the two of you."

"As usual, you worry too much."

Amaya scoffed. "Well, maybe you just don't worry enough! You don't want to mess up the bond you two have, right?"

"Appreciate the concern, but Sora and I are fine. What makes you think we'd let a girl come between us?"

"It isn't just about Kairi," she said in a matter-of-fact way. "You two have always been very competitive. You've always had this weird rivalry thing and I hated getting dragged into it. I don't think it's a bad thing that you two push each other—but if you're not careful, those playful competitions could turn into something uglier."

Riku looked at her, unsure of whatever she seemed to be implying. "What are you trying to say?"

Amaya wrapped her arms behind her back as they pressed forward. "Remember when you and Sora had that falling out?"

Riku frowned at her as he already knew what she was referring to. "That was different."

"Hmmm," Amaya hummed again. "I'm not so sure. I know you've always wanted to be chosen by the Kingdom Key and see other worlds. You were always dragging Sora, Xion, and I around on your little silly adventures when we were kids."

"Those were the days."

"You've always been a big dreamer, Riku," Amaya continued, derailing his attempt at changing the topic. "I honestly admired how hard you trained hoping to be the next chosen one. To protect the things that matter, right?" Riku grew tense at the callback. "But the Keyblade still chose Sora over you," Amaya said in a low voice to avoid spilling what was supposed to be a secret. "I couldn't believe it when I came to visit that summer. Sora was really hurt that you kept giving him the cold shoulder. And then there was that fight you two had—"

"Yeah, thanks for reminding me," he interrupted. "Enough with the trip down memory lane. We're patiently waiting for the point here."

She glared his way. "The point is that what if, hypothetically speaking, Kairi chose Sora over you?"

Riku furrowed his brows as the question lingered over his head. He forgot how blunt Amaya could be at times. He discreetly tightened the grip of his fist before sending her a grin that probably could have fooled anyone else. "What am I supposed to do? Force Kairi to choose again? I'd be happy for Sora."

Amaya crossed her arms. "Whatever happens, just be mindful of Sora, okay? He thinks the world of you. You're like a second big brother to him. Heck, I'm pretty sure he'd listen to you before he'd listen to me."

"You're overthinking as usual. Sora is my best friend and that's not going to change," Riku said. "But you're right about one thing. I did want to be the chosen one, but what happened between me and Sora is in the past. Ever since, all I've done these past few years is try to support him."

Amaya gave him a look of uncertainty. "I sure hope so, Riku."

Riku scoffed but maintained his grin. "What's with that look? Don't tell me you're worried about me."

"As a matter of fact, I am," she said without a trace of sarcasm. "I worry that you keep things bottled inside too much. I know we don't always agree on everything, but I do care about you, Riku, and I don't want you to get hurt. Or hurt anyone else, for that matter. My door is always open if you ever need someone to talk to."

It was just like the old days. Amaya being a naggy worrywart. There was a time when it annoyed Riku but it eventually became one of her many quirks he had come to appreciate. These days, it was a reminder of old times—and old, repressed feelings he was convinced had been buried deep within a scrapbook of best forgotten memories.

"Hey, Amaya," Riku said, stopping his tracks. Amaya froze and turned around when she noticed he wasn't walking by her side anymore. She faced him a look of genuine curiosity.

"Yes?"

Riku shook his head and smiled. "Glad to have you back."

She gave him a smile. "Glad to be back. Those glasses look good on you, by the way."

Riku adjusted his glasses with a cocky grin. "So I've been told."

* * *

Naminé made sure to stay close to Roxas as they maneuvered through the bustling crowd for the past five minutes. Her heart was racing as she held her sketchbook close to her chest and made sure she didn't bump into any strangers. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin someone else's day by making them spill their ice cream over their shirt or something.

Roxas walked ahead of her with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Naminé discreetly stared at the back of his head. It was a little difficult to keep up with him, but thankfully he stopped and allowed her to catch up every so often when someone recognized him as the son of Cloud Strife and asked for a picture with him. She had to resist her own urge to latch onto his arm more than once, but she was afraid of making the situation awkward if he rejected her again like he did near the entrance. Normally, she would've been hurt if it hadn't been for the fact that Roxas had recently finished having a one-on-one conversation with her father. She was smart enough to have a hunch as to why Roxas had a sudden shift in his demeanor.

Naminé was too wrapped up in her own thoughts when she ended up tripping over herself, letting out a small yelp as she dropped her sketchpad and landed on her knees. Most of the bystanders spared the tiniest of glances before pressing on with their day as if it never happened but Roxas stopped immediately.

"Naminé!" he shouted through the crowd as he rushed over to her and knelt down, extending a hand. "Are you okay?"

Naminé wasn't sure what happened. She looked up and saw the concern over his face, subsiding any potential anxiety or embarrassment that would have otherwise occurred from being such a klutz. She offered a bashful smile. "I'm okay... I think."

Roxas smiled back and helped her up to her feet, picking up her sketchpad in one swift motion. He quickly let go and hastily handed her sketchpad back. "Uh, here you go."

Naminé presumed he was afraid of being seen by her father. It was safe to say that she wasn't a fan of his new attitude. When he was nervous, it made her nervous. "Th-Thanks."

"Oh my god?" said a feminine voice unfamiliar to the both of them. "Is that _thee_ Roxas Strife? Like, the son of Cloud Strife?"

Roxas groaned. Two girls approached them in rather ostentatious-looking outfits. A confused Naminé looked back and forth between these approaching girls and Roxas. He put on a fake smile and turned around.

"Yep, that's me," he greeted. "How's it going?"

"Oh my god, we are like, such huge fans of your father?!" the girl said. Her friend seemed to just nod at everything she said in unconditional agreement. "And we are like, _sooo_ sorry for what happened to him?"

Roxas waved them off. "Don't worry about it. Today isn't the day to mourn. We have to keep pushing forward. We're here to celebrate him, right? I'm just proud of everything my dad did for the worlds."

"Oh my god, you are, like, _soooo_ wise?" the girl said as she fanned herself and sighed dreamily over him. "Like, is it okay if we take a picture with you?"

Roxas inwardly sighed but did his best to maintain a convincing front. "Sure!"

The girls let out short squeals as Roxas sent an apologetic look to Naminé. The bespectacled girl felt like a fourth wheel, but she could sense Roxas's discomfort and it was enough to get some amusement out of her. Roxas wrapped his arms around both of the girls while one of them put their gummiphone into a selfie position.

"Like, say chocobo?"

After the picture was taken, Roxas was ready to leave before anyone else in the area took notice and recognized him as well. But inevitably, he couldn't get away from the girls that easily.

"So, can I just say that you're, like, really hot?" the girl added, chewing her bottom lip.

Roxas chuckled nervously. "Thanks. You guys don't look so bad yourselves."

Naminé felt that comment of his was a bit unnecessary but she held her tongue.

"Oh my god, I'm like, _sooo_ glad you feel that way?" the girl said flirtatiously. "You should, like, _totally_ come to the Yuna Toriyama concert with us tomorrow night?" She gave him a sultry, half-lidded gaze. "And maybe we could, like, hang out together after the show if you're down?"

Naminé was starting to grow a bit more uncomfortable. These girls were blatantly throwing themselves at him. More than anything, she was fearful for what Roxas's response would be but his next words gave her a great deal of relief.

"I appreciate the offer, but I really shouldn't," Roxas said.

"Awww, how come?" she prodded.

"Because, uh..." Roxas wrapped his arm around Naminé without warning, earning a meek squeak from her. "This is my girlfriend, Naminé."

The girls gawked their eyes at the timid girl who cowered under their sharp stares. "Ohhhhhh?" the girl said, looking Naminé up and down. She offered a smile. "Like, so sorry for the intrusion then?"

Roxas shook his head. "Don't sweat it. You two have a good rest of your day."

After the girls left, whispering to each other while sparing brief glances back at Naminé, Roxas sighed and rubbed the back of his head as she looked at him expectantly. "Uhh, this is awkward."

"Girlfriend?" Naminé asked. "That was the first thing that came to your mind?"

He shrugged. "Well, what else was I supposed to say? They seemed like the type who wouldn't take no for an answer unless I had a good excuse."

"Oh. So, I'm just a convenient excuse?"

"Huh? N-No, that's not what I was trying to say, I was just—"

Roxas stopped when Naminé began giggling at the look on his face. "I'm just messing with you."

Roxas scoffed and set his hands on his hips, shaking his head. "You're terrible sometimes, I hope you know that," he said, a grin still plastered on his face.

Naminé was relieved. Things were starting to feel normal again and the tension between them was dissipating. But Naminé wasn't fully satisfied. Whether it was because she was angry at her father for sticking his nose where it didn't belong or whether it was her coming to grips with latent feelings, she had a sudden urge to push the boundaries. Not to mention, she wanted to get some further insight on some of her suspicions. She hesitated, gently pressing a fist to her chest before giving Roxas a shy smile and extending her hand to him.

"Well, if we're going to be a pretend couple," she said, "we may as well make it convincing?"

Roxas was at a loss for words. Naminé looked a little embarrassed but she wasn't backing down either. Roxas was aware that Naminé had a bold side from time to time, but it never failed to surprise him when it came out. What made him nervous wasn't the fact she wanted to hold his hand—she had already done so before when she comforted him during _The Choco_ —it was Snow and his fiery wrath that would surely hunt him down like a pack of wolves if he caught them in the act.

"Roxas?" Naminé asked expectantly.

"Oh, uhhhh," Roxas trailed off. He then clutched his sides and began letting out forced groans. "Oh, my stomach..."

"Are you okay?" Naminé asked, placing a hand on his back as he hunched over.

"Y-Yeah, I just, uh, gotta go to the bathroom. Be right back, Nam." With that, Roxas hurried into the boys' bathroom that just so conveniently happened to be nearby.

With a huff, Naminé waited by the bathrooms along with the other people who seemed to be waiting for someone as well. After a reaction like that from Roxas, she was more sure of her suspicions. Roxas had no issue with platonically holding hands when they were at her house. Unless Roxas had a sudden case of germophobia, she saw no reason why he would reject her unless her father really did say something to spook him. The thought of it was a little annoying. Naminé understood her father's paranoia, but she still wanted to be able to live her own life and make her own choices without him constantly intruding. She liked spending time with Roxas and she didn't want him to change because of any threat from her father.

Besides, she had begun admitting to herself that maybe—just maybe—her feelings weren't so platonic anymore.

Before she could delve further into her thoughts, the girls hitting on Roxas earlier began approaching her. They hadn't strung away too far and saw their opportunity to strike the moment they saw Naminé alone. Naminé prayed to the deities above they were only headed for the ladies room and not her. She also hoped Roxas would hurry out of the bathroom and save her as she kept her eyes trained to the ground and clutched her sketchbook tighter.

As fate would have it, Naminé saw their shadows stop the moment they were in front of her. She shut her eyes in hopes they would just go away and leave her alone. She hated how weak she was. She didn't have the strength to look them in the eye and hold her ground. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

The girl closed the distance between them and took a much less subtle approach when it came to observing what she considered to be a newfound rival, her proximity making Naminé tense. "I'm guessing you're, like, not from here?"

Naminé opened her mouth to speak but the words wouldn't come. Panic was starting to settle in. It was happening again.

Please, not again. _Not again._

The lack of response didn't seem to sway the girl, however, as she continued examining her maliciously. "I only assume because of your, like, braindead and totally uninspired outfit you have on? It, like, totally gives you away?"

Not again, not again, not again. Naminé repeated these words to herself to snap herself out of it. This had to stop. Roxas and Kairi wouldn't like seeing her like this. They both wanted the best for her, so the least she could do was try harder instead of retracting inside her own shell every time life faced her with a new challenge. With quivering lips, she found the strength to look the ostentatious girls in the eye, albeit it was her timid eyes against their judgmental, critical ones.

Naminé was able to open her mouth. "U-U-Um," she stammered. "N-No, I'm not native here."

The girl scoffed. "Typical? You outsiders, are like, so primitive? You wouldn't know aesthetic if it was, like, drilled into your psyche?" Her friend snickered at her leader's joke.

It seemed like Selphie's vain tendencies weren't a rarity in Destiny Islands. It made sense since Destiny Islands was known for being a trend-setter across multiple worlds when it came to fashion and aesthetic. The only difference was that Selphie at least pretended to act cordial despite her obvious fakeness. These girls were a lot more blunt and upfront about their distaste. Why did Naminé always have to get into trouble with these kinds of people for just existing?

"Ugh, can't you at least, like, look me in the eye for more than two seconds when I'm talking to you?" she asked. Naminé gave her a frown, which brought a victorious, smug grin to the girl's face as she seemed to be getting under Naminé's skin. "I don't get why Roxas would waste his time on such a Plain Jane like you? You're like, way out of your league? Some advice, honey, do something about that shaggy mop with split ends you call your hair and, like, put some effort into your wardrobe in the near future if you, like, want any potential to be in Roxas's league?"

Naminé didn't entertain them with a response. The girl then pulled out her gummiphone and snapped a picture of Naminé. The bespectacled girl was horrified as she was never a fan of taking pictures. "W-W-What was that for?"

"Uhh, obviously I took a picture of you to post on my D.I Drab Queen blog?" she answered with a chortle. "It's where I, like, make fun of Plain Janes who don't belong in Destiny Islands? I hope it, like, teaches you a lesson? Destiny Islands is a place only for the best of the best? I'm sorry, but like, I don't have the patience for such mediocrity?"

Naminé was on the verge of tears. She couldn't believe there could be someone that could be so mean. It was like the night of the beach party all over again. She didn't know what to do. She could only stand there as the two girls stared at the picture they just took of Naminé and laughed as they pointed out everything they considered wrong with her plain outfit.

In the midst of the girls' cackling, someone smacked the phone out of their hands, resulting in it being smashed into the ground and effectively cracking the screen. The two girls gasped at who was, to them, a stranger.

Naminé held back her tears when she saw the familiar face glaring daggers at her bullies with their fists bumped against their hips as they tapped her foot with a great amount of impatience. It was Xion.

"Like, for real?" the girl said in disgust, also appalled by Xion's choice of attire.

"Here's an idea," Xion said, imitating the girl's nasally tone. "How about I, like, totally shove my fist right up that disfigured beak made of rhinoplasty you call a nose?"

Xion gestured her fist to them for good measure.

The girls covered their noses protectively. "We were, like, totally just leaving anyway?" she said before picking up the phone and scampering away with her friend before any more of a scene was made. Xion watched them with disdain as they passed her by.

"Ugh, get a life," Xion muttered under her breath. She had zero tolerance for bullies. It reminded her of a time before Roxas and Lea entered her life when she was the outcast for being a little different. Xion eventually learned to stand up for herself and became adamantly against bullying of any kind. She refused to stand on the sidelines and watch it happen—even if it meant defending _her._

Speaking of _her,_ Xion turned around to face Naminé, who was also watching those girls leave. She looked relieved as if the weight of the world had just been lifted off her shoulders. Naminé then looked at Xion with appreciative eyes and a shy smile.

"Th-Thank you, Xion."

Xion stared back at her with an expression that was vacant of any trace of emotion. She wasn't sure how to react. For the past two days, she had considered this girl the enemy. It was to the point where she had almost completely dehumanized Naminé as an actual person with feelings just like hers and instead viewed her as nothing but an obstacle in her path. It made Xion realize she might have been a little more childish than she cared to admit out loud.

Xion tossed her pride aside and returned a warm smile of her own—the same smile she gave her back when they first met at the beach party. The familiarity of it put Naminé at ease.

"Don't sweat it," Xion said.

Roxas returned just in time before the air between the two girls could inevitably grow awkward, as neither of them had much to say to the other after what just transpired. Roxas hadn't even used the bathroom; he only went to mentally prepare himself for the day ahead. When he spotted Naminé a few feet away, he started making his way towards her and as he got closer, he gradually became more aware that Xion was standing along with her. A wide grin formed on Roxas's face.

"Xion!" Roxas said excitedly as he reached them. "We were just looking for you guys."

Xion was looking for them per Riku's advice to assert herself a little and make sure nothing too crazy happened between them that would put Xion at an even further disadvantage than she was already at. Of course, she wouldn't admit that out loud either.

Xion crossed her arms and cocked her hip to the side. "Well, well, well. Look who decided to show up today. Can't believe you just left Naminé out here by herself like that."

"Huh?" Roxas scratched his head. "Uh, sorry. What was I supposed to do? Bring her into the bathroom with me?" He looked between the two of them with an eyebrow raised. "Did something happen?"

Xion sighed. "Nothing. I just had to scare off a couple of plastics messing with her. But it was nothing I couldn't handle."

"It was the same girls from earlier," Naminé added. "I guess they didn't think I was good enough to be your girlfriend."

Xion felt her left eye twitch. "E-Excuse me?"

"It's not what you think," Roxas said. "These girls were inviting me to hang out with them tomorrow, so I told them Nam was my girlfriend to get them off my back."

"O-Of course," Xion said, relieved as she thought she was on the verge of a heart attack. She still wasn't a fan of the fact that _that_ was his first instinct in that kind of a situation. She wondered if he would have said the same thing if it had been Xion with him instead.

"So, where are the others?" Roxas asked. "They're not with you?"

"Oh, uh, no," Xion answered. "I actually kinda left Riku and Kairi to come look for you after Kairi told me you were here. And I have no idea where Lea could be."

"I guess that means we're still on the hunt for them," Roxas said. "Looks like you're stuck with us, Xi."

Xion looked between the two of them, both of them giving her friendly smiles, as if they were happy that she was there and not a burden cutting into their alone time. Xion forced a smile of her own, despite the dread she hid on the inside. "I guess you're right. I can call Kairi to see where they're at if you want—"

"No, don't worry about that, "Roxas interrupted. While Xion was conflicted on the matter, Roxas was excited. He wanted it to be just the three of them for a little while. He had always wanted Naminé and Xion to get more acquainted. "I wouldn't say we're in a rush or anything."

Roxas took a few steps forward. He turned around and looked at two of his favorite girls and gave them a big grin.

"Let's go have some fun."

* * *

Sora, Riku, Kairi, Amaya, and Haru had finally arrived at the Gelatin Bomb. Inside of a large tank was a big pool of navy blue gelatin. The attraction had been titled the "Gelatin Bomb" because it was a place for people to dive in if they wanted to experience what it would be like to swim inside of jello.

"This is it," Sora said.

"It looks really goopy," Kairi observed.

Haru gasped with wide eyes. "It's so big!"

Riku grinned. "That's what—ow!" He rubbed his shoulder that was unsubtly nudged at by Amaya as she gave him a warning look. "What?!"

"Please don't finish that sentence with Haru around," Amaya said. Haru looked up at them curiously.

Riku raised an eyebrow. "I was just gonna say that's what the pamphlet says," he said as he revealed the pamphlet he had picked up on their way inside the venue. He began reading a selection. "The Gelatin Bomb is four-hundred meters in length and almost eighty feet deep. Please take a dip inside and enjoy the uncanny sensation."

"...Oh," Amaya said, before giving an apologetic smile. "Sorry!"

"What'd you _think_ I was gonna say?"

"N-Not important," a flustered Amaya answered. She approached the huge tank and looked further down. "I'm a little surprised they didn't also mention the process of mass producing this. It's a scientific feat. I've read about it. The gelatin was heated inside of large canisters and cooled off in a special room where they could monitor the temperature of the gelatin to give it that firm texture. They pressurized it enough so that you'd barely feel much liquid from leftover juices. I've heard it has more of a rubbery but soft feel to it."

"Tch. Nerd," Riku quipped. Amaya sent him a frown.

"So, basically... it's not that wet?" Kairi asked, trying to process the babble Amaya just spewed at them. "I guess that means we wouldn't need bathing suits."

"It's recommended, but not a necessity," Amaya said. "I think if anything it might make your clothes a little sticky."

"I wanna jump in!" Haru raised her hand. She looked up at her big sister. "Can I, Amaya? Pleeeeeease?"

Amaya put a finger to her chin as she calculated all of the possible scenarios to ensure it would be safe for Haru. She saw Riku giving her an exasperated look, which was his way of letting her know she was probably overthinking again, and decided to give her little sister a warm smile.

"Sure, sweetie. Just be careful, okay?"

"Yay!" Haru stepped on her tippy toes, hardly able to contain herself. "I will, I will!"

Kairi crouched down to level with Haru. "Mind if I jump in with you, Haru?" she asked. "I've been wanting to do this ever since I was your age! There was nothing like this in Radiant Garden."

"You'll play with me?!" Haru gasped. Kairi gave her a confident nod. "Yeah!" She looked at the other three. "Can we all go?!"

"Us, too?" Amaya asked.

Haru nodded vigorously. "Uh huh! Uh huh!"

"I'm game!" Sora answered.

"I'll pass," Riku answered bluntly.

"Oh, I don't know," Amaya said, shifting her shoulders. "It would really stink if it messed up my hair. I spent all morning on it."

"Aww, come on, guys," Sora said. "The festival is only once a year. We should make the most of it."

Amaya took a moment to consider it. She was convinced after seeing the anticipation in Haru's eyes. "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt, just this once. Okay, I'm in!"

Seeing Haru bounce up and down with joy at her answer made Amaya happy with her decision.

Everyone looked at Riku expectantly. He shook his head and crossed his arms. "You guys go on without me."

"Pleeeeeeeeease?" Haru pleaded again.

"That might work on the rest of you saps but I'm immune," Riku said with a smirk.

"But Haru wants all of us to jump," Kairi said. "Can't you do something with us just this one time?"

"Sorry," Riku said with a shrug. "Maybe Amaya is willing to risk the state of her hair but I'm not."

"I guess I shouldn't have expected much of you," Kairi said with a sigh. "Come on, Haru. Riku's no fun, anyway."

Riku was about to protest but Haru cut him off. "Okay!"

After Sora and Kairi set their masks down and the rest of them removed their shoes and extra equipment, they spotted a burly man with long hair stood by the edge of the tank. On his shirt, he had a name tag that read "Dilan."

"Four, please," Sora said.

Dilan nodded at Sora. He used his hands to conjure four spheres of pure air using Aeroga magic.

"What's this for?" Kairi asked.

"They help you hold your breath longer," Sora answered. Dilan then demonstrated by pushing one of the air bubbles towards Sora and it circled around his head before gradually dissipating. Kairi had never seen such a feat before in Radiant Garden.

After Dilan performed the same action for all four of them, they approached the edge of the tank and looked down. There were a modest amount of people already swimming inside but likely not as many as it was earlier in the day. Haru quickly latched onto Amaya and Kairi's hands.

"Let's go together!" she shouted. She licked her lips. "Mmm, looks yummy!"

"Don't eat it, Haru. It doesn't have any sugar," Amaya warned.

"Awww," Haru lamented. "O-kaaaay."

"Just make sure you stay close to me at all times so we don't lose each other, okay?"

"I knoooow," Haru whined. "Geeeeez."

Kairi and Amaya exchanged a smile. Kairi turned to her left and offered her hand to Sora, making the heat in his body rise to his cheeks.

"Well?" Kairi asked with a friendly smile.

Sora gave her a nervous chuckle along with toothy smile. He eventually took her hand in his and prayed it didn't get too sweaty. Riku scoffed at the display. How was Sora ever going to get a girlfriend if he couldn't handle something as insignificant as hand holding?

"All right, on the count of three," Sora said, watching Haru bouncing with anticipation. "One, two... three!"

The four of them leaped into the air; Sora, Haru, and Kairi with wide, energized smiles while Amaya had the briefest look of panic and regret, before diving straight into the big pool of gelatin. The impact was soft—like sinking into a warm water bed.

Riku walked towards the edge of the tank and watched as they made impact with the surface. He sat at the ledge, leaning his palm against his cheek as he watched them with a mixture of confusion and resentment. Why were they forcing themselves to put up with these childish antics? He understood Haru—but wasn't this a bit beneath the rest of them? He couldn't say he was surprised with Sora, though. Riku failed to understand his best friend sometimes. He always acted like a kid, yet wondered why everyone treated him like one. At the same time, he harbored a secret respect for him. Despite what anyone else thought of Sora...

He always did as he pleased.

* * *

Sora allowed his body to completely recline as he slowly sunk to the bottom of the tank. He was at peace. It reminded him of the last time he had a Dive to the Heart. He lazily opened his eyes to see the shine of the sun blurred underneath the surface of the blue gelatin. He was caught by surprise when a pair of curious, upside-down indigo eyes blocked out his view from above. Sora shook himself out of his trance and his eyes widened as he shot up from his reclined position.

When he swam upright, he found kairi giggling inaudibly beneath a toothy grin. Her amusement didn't last long, however, as she wasn't accustomed to the resistance caused by the thickness of the gelatin and began flailing her arms trying to maintain balance. It was to no avail as her body continually descended the bottom out of her control with her backside hanging above her head.

It was Sora's turn to laugh at her expense as he swooped down and took her hand. Without hesitation, he began swimming upwards, paddling his feet to push them further. Kairi was starting to catch on and followed his movements as he took the lead. Sora looked down at Kairi with a look of reassurance. She smiled at him gratefully.

This wasn't the first time Sora had ever dove inside the Gelatin Bomb. He and Riku used to do it all the time when they were kids, but eventually Riku stopped as he claimed it was too kiddy for him. But that never stopped Sora. He learned all of the tips and tricks to maintain balance against the resistance of the gelatin and decided he would teach Kairi how to do the same.

Sora stopped and took both of her hands, nodding at her as if asking for permission to continue. Kairi nodded back as confirmation. He swam backwards while Kairi held onto him and he guided her through the mass of pressurized gelatin. Kairi liked seeing Sora take charge. His lack of confidence was the one thing about him that she found both frustrating and adorable at the same time. Over a short amount of time, Kairi seemed to already be getting the hang of it. It wasn't much different from swimming in normal water. It just took a bit more lower body strength.

Once Sora noticed Kairi was beginning to become more comfortable, he dipped closer to her face, catching Kairi by surprise. He gave a slightly mischievous grin before he pulled back and let go of both of her hands. With wide eyes, Kairi watched as Sora seemed to float upwards while spinning sideways before stretching his arms and legs out sporadically. He seemed like an expert. Kairi's first instinct was to panic and she desperately reached for him, fearing she would sink back to the bottom. But this time, she didn't. She had already subconsciously gotten the muscle memory of how to position her legs down and was able to stay afloat.

Kairi could hardly believe it. Sora swooped down with a proud smile and she returned his sentiments graciously. She began swimming upwards by herself without any guidance. Sora was taken aback. After a few moments, it seemed she got the hang of it even quicker than he expected as she was able to perform graceful twirls and extend her arms and legs in ways that reminded him of ballerinas. She became completely swept up in the moment and let go of any fear in an instant.

Sora watched her with admiration in his eyes. He didn't recall ever meeting someone so full of life. She was so carefree and fun-loving. He was envious of Riku—his best friend was a lucky guy.

Kairi finished one of her spins and looked to the light above, the short strands of her red hair hovering out of the way of her face to reveal a smile full of magic and wonder. She looked down at Sora and gave him two thumbs up with the slightest tilt of her head, as if asking for his approval. Sora returned the gesture to assure her that she had gotten the hang of things. She playfully bowed. Kairi dipped down and took his hand, gesturing him to follow her. He was surprised at first but went along with it. This time, the roles were reversed with Kairi leading Sora upwards with a single hand attached. In that moment, Sora realized how happy he was to be at the festival.

Eventually, they found Amaya and Haru in the short distance up ahead. Considering this was also Haru's first time in the gelatin, she was flapping her arms as if they were wings as she did her best to stay afloat. Amaya felt the need to stop her before she hurt herself and held Haru from behind to keep her from sinking to the bottom.

Before Haru could inaudibly whine over Amaya's doting ways, she excitedly pointed to Sora and Kairi as they caught up to them. Seeing Haru gave Sora an idea. He nudged Kairi on the shoulder, as if telling her to watch him, before swimming closer to a confused-looking Haru.

Sora dipped his head down with an imaginary drum roll playing in his mind before popping his head back up with the goofiest smile he could muster while his eyes practically rolled to the back of his head. Haru recognized it as the "Funny Face Special" and it never failed to send her into a frenzy of giggles. But due to where they were, Haru was forced to cover her mouth as she suppressed her amusement. Kairi found the interaction adorable.

Sora looked at both Kairi and Amaya, nodding at them as if telling them to do it themselves. Kairi and Amaya exchanged a look of agreement and decided to join Sora in making the silliest faces they could muster to get the biggest reaction out of Haru. The five-year-old would have been in tears if they were on the surface. Sora, Amaya, and Kairi shared looks of accomplishment.

Sora started backstroking as his way of showing Kairi how experienced he was with maneuvering through the gelatin. He looked back to find that Kairi seemed impressed and gave him a short round of applause. Feeling a boost in confidence, Sora crossed his legs and wrapped his hands behind his head with his eyes shut. His showing off didn't last long, however, as he bumped into the back of a very rotund individual wearing a pink speedo that seemed a few sizes too small for him. The man (or was it an anthropomorphic cat?) turned around and gave Sora the evil eye while gesturing his gloved fist.

Kairi covered her mouth as if she were suppressing her giggles. Haru pointed at Sora with bloated cheeks and would have been shamelessly laughing at him had they been on the surface. Amaya simply rolled her eyes and face palmed. Sora smiled apologetically as he raised his hands in defense as he backed away from the angry man... cat person. He quickly caught back up to the girls before anything escalated more than it needed to.

Haru, beginning to grow annoyed with her big sister treating her like a baby, fought her way out of Amaya's hold and returned to wailing her arms forward, but Haru continued sinking deeper into the tank. Amaya dipped down and took Haru by her left hand this time, rather than carrying her like an infant. Sora took it upon himself to grab her right hand. Haru decided to let this one slide as her sister and cousin guided her through the goop. After a bit of time, Haru got the hang of it as well. Sora and Amaya mutually decided to let go of Haru's hand and she was indeed able to maintain her balance as she enthusiastically paddled around.

Sora enjoyed seeing the excitement on her face and swung his arm over as his way of gesturing Kairi and Amaya to follow. The four swam together, passing by many others, children and adults alike, as their rhythms were unified harmoniously through the sea of gelatin.

Haru eventually tapped Sora on his back before scurrying away immediately. Kairi and Amaya caught on and swam away as well. It took Sora a moment to figure out what was going on until he realized Haru had initiated a game of tag and that he was "it." Sora took the challenge and began charging to tag either one of his cousins or Kairi.

Their game of tag was short-lived once Kairi bumped into something near one of the bottom corners of the tank. It looked like a large sheet with something tussling underneath it. A puzzled Kairi looked upwards at Sora, Amaya, and Haru, all three of which shared her confused sentiments. Sora merely shrugged. With her curiosity getting the best of her, Kairi grabbed the sheet and dramatically pulled it away to reveal what was hiding underneath it.

The last thing any of them were expecting was Axel and Larxene mid-makeout session with the former wearing nothing but a pair of trunks with fire insignias decorating them and the latter wearing a black two-piece bikini with a top that was just barely attached. The two looked over with their eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets like a deer caught in the headlights.

While Kairi and Amaya grimaced, Sora quickly covered Haru's eyes.

* * *

Naminé could've sworn her pupils shrunk as she stared at all of the loops and twirls happening in such rapid succession. Roxas stopped next to the venue hosting the line for the "Mountain Coaster" and turned around to face both her and Xion with a wide grin.

"So, how about it?" he asked enthusiastically.

Naminé vehemently shook her head.

"Absolutely not," Xion said smugly as she closed her eyes and crossed her arms. "You know how much I hate roller coasters."

"Aww, come on," Roxas pushed. "I figured if all three of us go, it wouldn't be as scary for either of you. It'd be fun, right?"

Xion and Naminé exchanged a look—a mutual sense of stubbornness and fear between them—before they looked back at Roxas.

"Roxas, I'm pretty sure I'd die from a heart attack on one of those things," Naminé said. "Besides, I've never been on a roller coaster."

Xion rubbed her chin as thoughts began to swirl around in her head. Then again, this might have been an opportunity for her. Naminé seemed about as adverse to roller coasters as she was, but Xion had at least been on a few before. They may not have been pleasant experiences for her, but she had experience in an area where Naminé didn't. Maybe if she sucked it up and went on the ride with Roxas, it would show him just how much more fun-loving she was than the snorefest that was Naminé Villiers. Xion briefly had a triumphant grin before clearing her throat and stepping forward.

"Fine," Xion said, pretending to groan. "If it'll get you to shut up, Roxas, I guess I'll just have to give it a try."

Roxas grinned. "Thanks, Xion. I promise, you're gonna love this one!"

"Yeah, yeah," Xion said, rolling her eyes. "You say that every time."

Roxas looked at Naminé expectantly. "Are you still not coming?"

Naminé looked up as the coaster speedily zoomed through a jagged spiral and she gulped. "Um... n-no, I think I'll wait here for you guys."

"Are you sure?" Roxas asked, walking closer to her.

Xion crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. Why was he so persistent? If she didn't want to go, then she didn't want to go.

"I won't force you or anything," Roxas continued, smiling gently at her. "I'm proud enough that you're here in the first place. I know these kinds of events aren't your thing, but you're still willing to give it a try. But I think taking chances and trying new things is part of the adventure, too. Maybe it'll even make other things not so scary."

Naminé bit her lip and averted her eyes as she took his words into deep consideration.

Roxas rubbed the back of his head. "Not sure if it helps at all, but... I'll be right there with you. I'll keep you safe—so that you can just relax and have fun. Leave the worrying to me."

After a moment of consideration, Naminé gave Roxas a hesitant smile. "Okay. I-I-I'll try."

"Great!" Roxas said.

"Just don't get mad if I barf all over you," Naminé warned, making Roxas chuckle.

He led Naminé to the admittedly long line, placing a hand on her back to assure her that she would be secure under his watch. Xion watched as they passed her by, neither sparing her a glance. She was beginning to understand what exactly the deal was between them. She always knew Naminé had trouble with anxiety—she knew from the moment she met her at the party. Roxas seemed to be helping her. Was that his thing? Did he just want someone to coddle? If that was the case, Xion wasn't sure where she fit in.

Roxas and Naminé turned around when they noticed the third pea to their pod wasn't following. "You coming, Xion?" Roxas asked.

Oh, good. They remembered she existed. But she tried her best not to show signs of her irritation. "Right behind you."

Due to the length of the line, Xion was forced to play the role of what felt like a third wheel for the next twenty-five minutes. It was an agonizing time that took her back to just two days prior when she wasn't privy to their side conversations at the dinner party. Only this time, she could hear every little thing they said to each other.

"It was the funniest thing I've seen in awhile," Naminé said. "Roxas could not dance if his life depended on it! Looking back, I wish I had recorded it."

"My dancing isn't _that_ bad."

"Roxas." Naminé stared at him pointedly. "When you tried to do the worm, you looked more like a fish suffocating on the shore."

"Well, I can dance better than you can cook," Roxas said. He turned to Xion, who was hunched over and leaning against the railing that kept the line in place, and pointed at Naminé. "This girl put pumpkin seeds and asparagus into a taco wrap. For fuck's sake, if anyone is going to vomit today, it'll be me thinking about what a disaster that was."

"Language," Naminé chastised, wagging her finger at him. "And excuse me for trying to add a bit of unique flavor with a touch of consideration for health consciousness."

"Yeah, well, I don't think just adding random healthy shi—I mean, stuff—is how that works."

"Hey, at least mine didn't nearly burn your tongue!"

While Roxas and Naminé shared a laugh over the memories of that day, Xion rolled her eyes. "Hilarious."

Roxas and Naminé stopped laughing once they noticed how unenthusiastic Xion seemed to be. They shared a look of concern. They supposed they couldn't blame Xion—while the memory may have been hilarious to them, it might have been a bit harder for someone who wasn't there to relate as much. They both felt like they were being a tad bit inconsiderate and Roxas decided to change that.

"Say, Naminé," he started. "Have I ever told you about all the times Xion and Lea took pictures of me when I was in the shower?"

Xion perked her ears.

"No, you haven't. But do tell," Naminé said.

"On the first day of our freshman year, they stopped by my place so we could all walk to school together," Roxas explained. "And these two idiots barged in and took pictures of me coming out of the shower and took away my towel from me. Can you believe that?"

Naminé chuckled as she imagined the image of it. A subtle pink hue then formed on her cheeks as she imagined Roxas—she stopped herself right there.

Xion was a little confused at the sudden shift in the conversation but decided to roll with it. "You're still on about that?" Xion said. "It was just a prank, bro."

"You two hung those pictures over my head as blackmail for the whole semester!" Roxas argued. "I would've been done for if I hadn't finally gotten Lea to delete them."

Xion gradually felt a tiny smile reach her lips as she recalled the memories back when it was just the three of them. She eventually got more comfortable and rose from her hunched position. "Awww, that was a shame." She looked at Naminé as she wrapped an arm around Roxas's shoulder and poked his cheek with her index finger. "You should've seen the pictures. This guy has _such_ a cute butt."

Naminé felt her blush deepen but it didn't stop her from giggling. "Oh, does he?"

"Do not," Roxas protested.

"Whaaat? That's a good thing!" Xion said. "Do you know how hard it is to find guys with legitimately good-looking butts? You should be proud of those cheeks!"

She playfully slapped Roxas on his bottom to emphasize her point, resulting in an uncharacteristically high-pitched yelp from him. Xion and Naminé laughed at his frown as he covered his derriere protectively.

"Okay, on second thought, this doesn't seem like an appropriate conversation to be having in public," Roxas said.

Xion felt her shoulders relax. She watched as Roxas put his irritated facade aside and transitioned back into his normal, friendly self. She finally caught on to what he was doing and appreciated him going out of his way to not make her feel left out. It was little things like that that reminded her why she liked this dork in the first place.

Their moment came to a close when they seemed to be among the people who were next in line.

"All right, let's get a move on before either of you two can sexually harass me again," Roxas said.

"Pfftt. Pleeeease," Xion said.

"He wishes," Naminé joked. Xion and Naminé shared another laugh.

Roxas sighed. "What did I get myself into?" he muttered.

The employee running the Mountain Coaster recognized Roxas as the son of Cloud Strife, and out of respect and gratitude, he gave Roxas and his friends the honor of seats at the very front—something both Naminé and Xion cursed under their breaths over.

Naminé was forced to temporarily part ways with her sketchbook and leave it at the front. As they approached the Mountain Coaster, that looked like a train of some sorts, the employee sat Naminé in the very first car, Roxas right next to her, and Xion in the car right behind them. Xion wasn't surprised with the outcome but decided to let it slide.

Once the employee placed the bar over Naminé and Roxas's laps to secure them tightly within their car, Naminé felt her panic well up in the pit of her stomach again. Was she really about to do this? What if there was an accident? What if she was experiencing her final breaths in this very moment?

"M-Maybe this was a mistake," Naminé whispered just loud enough for Roxas to hear.

Roxas noticed her hand trembling. He thought back to the time when she took his hand when they were watching that scary movie at her place. Snow didn't seem to be around, so he decided to return the favor and entangled her hand into his in hopes of calming her down. Just like before, feeling the touch of another helped ease the other's anxiety.

"S-Sorry if my hand is a little sweaty," she apologized quietly.

"You're fine," he said with a chuckle.

She gave him a tiny smile, though the anxiety wasn't entirely gone. It was nice knowing that she could lean on him. Xion looked between the both of them, unable to hear what they were saying due to all of the chattering going on in the area. All she knew was that something wasn't sitting right with her.

"You got me?" Naminé asked.

"I got you." Roxas squeezed her hand to assure her of this. "And hey, at least we look like a convincing boyfriend and girlfriend now, right?"

Naminé couldn't look him in the eyes after that one, but she did tuck some hair behind her ear. "Guess so."

The employees gave the engineers the signal to get things moving. The car began its gradual ignition and slowly ascended up a very steep slope. Naminé felt her heart pump harder and harder the further they rose. Her hand was getting sweatier but as long as Roxas didn't mind, she wouldn't think much of it.

She just had to get through this.

* * *

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOO HOO HOOOOOO!"

Out of all the outcomes Roxas was expecting, the very last one was for Naminé to ultimately release his hand after a few seconds into the ride and raise her arms in the air as she hooped and hollered with every sharp turn and twist the Mountain Coaster had to offer with what had to be the biggest smile he had ever seen on her face.

He loved every second of it.

Roxas didn't hesitate to join her in the fun and began screaming as well, raising his hands along with another good amount of people on the ride with them.

"THIS IS THE BEST THING EVER!" Naminé shouted.

"I TOLD YOU!" Roxas shouted back.

Xion, on the other hand, felt like she was seconds away from losing her breakfast as she clung to the railing for dear life. "I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die," she chanted repeatedly.

After what was an exhilarating two to three minutes for Naminé and Roxas, and what felt like an agonizing half hour to Xion, the ride finally came to a stop and all of the passengers left their cars as the voice on the intercom told them to have a good rest of their day. Naminé clung to Roxas's arm as they headed towards the area to retrieve their items while Xion wobbled her way out of her car, clumsily following them from behind.

"Roxas, oh my god, that was amazing!" Naminé said. "W-W-With the dive, and then the loop de loop, a-a-and then the—the—ahhh!"

Roxas chuckled. "I know."

Naminé hurried ahead since the only thing they needed to get back was her sketchbook. When Roxas turned around, he saw a dizzy Xion and swooped in to stop her from falling at the last second as her pupils seemed to be doing somersaults. Roxas gave her a grin.

"You okay?" he asked, repressing his laughter.

Xion put a hand to her throbbing head. "Define okay."

As Naminé went for her sketchbook, she looked above her to find that they had taken a picture of them while they were on the ride. "Hey, guys! Look!"

After Xion recuperated, she and Roxas walked over to see what Naminé was on about. She was pointing to the screen above her that showed Roxas and Naminé jovially waving their hands in the air having the time of their lives while Xion looked like she had just seen a demon come to reap her soul.

"Oh, god..." Xion groaned. She had hoped that maybe after all these years, she would have finally gotten used to these sorts of rides but they never failed to put her on the verge of peeing her pants. Even worse, Naminé took it like a champ even though she had supposedly never ridden one before. Xion wondered if Naminé didn't just make that up. Xion was, at the very least, thankful that Lea wasn't there to see this.

"Looking pretty hot there, Xion," Roxas teased.

"Shut up."

As the three left the venue, Naminé was practically spinning with excitement. "I can't believe how much fun that was. How have I been missing out all of these years? Can we go again?! We _have_ to go again!"

"Absolutely not," Xion repeated in the same manner as earlier. "Geez. Since when did you turn into such a bundle of energy?"

"Sorry," Naminé apologized with a bashful smile. "I'm just so excited. We've got to find more rides. If you guys aren't going on them, I'll go myself!"

Roxas laughed. "It's getting a little late, isn't it?" he asked, gesturing to the sky that was beginning to settle into dawn. "Don't worry. We still have the rest of the week to go on more rides."

"I'll hold you to that!"

"There you are," said a voice that belonged to none other than Kairi.

The trio looked over to find a bunch of familiar faces approaching them. There was Sora, Riku, and Kairi—with Sora and Kairi carrying strange-looking masks. Axel and Larxene were only wearing bathing suits, the former with a towel hung across his shoulders while the latter had a towel wrapped around her waist. Two other faces that were familiar to Roxas and Xion but unfamiliar to Naminé were with them as well—a girl with black hair was holding the hand of a little girl carrying a pudgy blue doll.

"We've been looking all over for you," Kairi said.

"Simply amazing, Roxas," Axel said.

Roxas smiled at the sight of his other best friend. "Yo, Axel."

Axel closed the distance between them and gave him a frown.

"So, you really didn't ditch hanging out with us this time? I'm SO FLATTERED." Axel got into an aggressive stance as if he were prepared for an epic duel with Roxas. "But you're too late!"

Roxas rolled his eyes as he pushed him out of the way. "Knock it off, man." He and Xion ignored their friend and made their way over to Amaya and Haru.

"Hey, girl!" Xion said, greeting Amaya with a hug. "You still look just as beautiful as always. Here to make me all insecure again, huh?"

"Aww, stop," Amaya said, twirling some strands of her wavy hair. "You don't give yourself enough credit, Xion."

Haru recognized the name and rushed toward Xion, hugging her leg. "Xion!"

Xion chuckled as she kneeled down to give Haru a more fulfilling hug. "You're getting so big, Haru!"

"Hey, 'Maya," Roxas greeted with a smile. "It's been too long."

Amaya smiled back. "Hi, Roxas! I was actually just telling Haru about you."

Roxas crouched down to level with Haru. "Hey, Haru! You remember me? I'm the better looking version of your big cousin, Sora."

"Hey!" Sora said from the sidelines.

Haru snickered. Her memories of Roxas were a little hazy since the last time she saw him, she was no older than two and a half years old. But she did vaguely remember his face. "I think so! And not true! Sora is the most handsomest in the world!"

Sora gave a smug grin. "See? Haru gets it."

His response earned him a giggle from Kairi. "Yes, she sure does."

"Guess I was out of line there," Roxas said with a chuckle. He turned his head halfway. "Hey, Nam! Come here a sec." Naminé stiffened slightly at the sound of her name but walked over to Roxas regardless. "I wanna introduce you to Amaya and Haru. They're Xion's cousins."

"Nice to meet you!" Amaya greeted in her usual friendly voice.

Naminé waved shyly. "N-Nice to meet you as well. My name is Naminé."

Kairi came up from behind wearing her horse mask and placed her hands on her sister's shoulders from behind. "We're twinsies!"

Amaya chuckled at Kairi's silly antics. "Yes, the resemblance is uncanny. But now that you mention, I can definitely see what you mean," Amaya said, putting a finger to her chin. "Well, I'm happy to have met you both!"

"Just be careful she doesn't trivia you to boredom," Riku added sarcastically as he came up from Amaya, resulting in a light punch in the arm from her.

"PuPu says you're really pretty too, Nah-mee-nay!" Haru said, gesturing to her doll. "She also says you have a very pretty name! I think the same!"

Naminé smiled. Children rarely made Naminé as nervous as her peers. Children, with the right upbringing, were innocent and less judgmental. "That's very sweet of you two."

"So, what have you guys been up to?" Xion asked, looking to Kairi for an answer.

"Besides looking for you guys, we were at the Gelatin Bomb," Kairi answered as she removed her horse mask. "It was great until we ended up finding these two doing... unmentionable things inside of it." She pointed to a shameless Axel and Larxene. "And now, I never want to go inside another pool of gelatin ever again."

Everyone else in the group gave the couple looks of disgust. "Dude..." Roxas trailed off.

"What?" Axel said. "Hey, you gotta be a little experimental sometimes. Life can be a short thing, so you gotta make the most of it when you can. Got it memorized?"

Haru put a finger to her chin as the gears in her head started turning. "Mem-mo-rized?"

"Look at you, saying the catchphrase," Xion said, patting Axel on the head. She then felt disgusted touching him and retracted her hand quickly. "Uh, have you two showered yet by any chance?"

Axel didn't answer. He only smirked while Larxene scoffed.

"About time we found you," said a clearly male voice.

Everyone looked over to find Snow and Claire approaching the group, the former with a drink in hand. The two had a tiresome day, to say the least. With Claire being a former guardian of light, the majority of it was spent at a meet and greet as she signed merchandise and took pictures with cosplayers.

"Hey!" Kairi said as she rushed over to them. "Guys, I didn't have a chance to introduce you at the dinner party, but this is my dad. And this is, as most of you probably know, my Aunt Claire."

The group became a circle of introductions. Claire recognized a few of them, such as Sora and Riku, as she had been summoned by Aqua to help train them from time to time. When Snow approached Roxas, he extended his hand.

"Hope you had a good day, Strife."

Roxas hesitated, but took Snow's hand as he gave him a firm grip. "I did, sir. And you?"

Snow noticed Naminé standing behind him, giving him the subtlest glare that would have been easy to miss had he not had a keen eye for detail. He returned his focus at Roxas and narrowed his eyes. "It was just dandy."

"Hey, guys. I think the fireworks are starting," Sora announced, catching everyone's attention. They all gathered together in the middle of the long road and looked towards the sky. Indeed, the fireworks show traditionally set on the second day of the festival had commenced. A variety of colors popped into sparkles underneath the darkening sky. Aside from Snow, everyone was mesmerized. It was one of those sensations that never seemed to get old.

"Wow!" Haru said. "Look, Amaya!"

Amaya giggled. "I see! They're very pretty, aren't they?"

"Yeah, it's _super_ pretty!" She pointed to her noggin. "Got it mem-mo-rized?"

"Oh, dang it, Lea," Xion said. "Your influence is spreading. Look how you're tainting Haru!"

"First off, it's Axel," he corrected, before giving a sly grin and a shrug. "And hey, as far as I can tell, the kid's got a future ahead of her."

What Sora found even more interesting than the fireworks was the look of awe in Kairi's eyes as each pop of a firework reflected in them. He found himself unable to look away from her for too long.

"I love fireworks," she said. "I don't know if there's anything more beautiful."

"I could name a few," Sora said without thinking. When Kairi looked at him, he realized he said that out loud and became flustered. "Uh, that is—I mean, things like sunsets and stuff. Those are pretty too, you know?" He cleared his throat.

She snickered. "Yeah, I think sunsets are pretty, too."

Riku watched their interaction from behind them carefully.

Naminé tugged on Roxas's sleeve and pointed out each firework she was most impressed with. Roxas smiled as he enjoyed seeing her so excited and enthusiastic about something. She had already come a long way since the night of the summer beach party. But then he remembered that Snow was nearby. He side glanced over and sure enough, Snow was watching Roxas very carefully—he wasn't subtle about it either. Roxas didn't give him much of a noticeable reaction, but he made a mental note to stuff his hands inside his pockets.

Xion watched Roxas and Naminé from a short distance as well. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel. She harbored feelings for Roxas and saw Naminé as a threat, but after spending most of the day with her, she couldn't say she hated Naminé either. She thought back to Riku's offer to help her win Roxas's attention, still unsure if she wanted to go through with it. She could tell just from the way Naminé looked at him that there was a good chance she felt a similar way for Roxas that Xion felt for him as well. She didn't want to hurt Naminé.

But at the same time, she wasn't sure if she would allow her to stand in the way of what she wanted.

_**Memories of Resentment** _


	15. Memories of Tension

There were two things Xion hated: rollercoasters and getting soaked.

Yet somehow, on the third beautiful day of the Guardians Festival, there she was on a ride called the "Splash Run" awaiting her doom. She supposed it was better than having to stop every five minutes whenever someone would pull Roxas over, asking for a picture or just to send their condolences regarding his father, but not by much. She sat in a three-seated tube alongside Roxas and Naminé (the latter not wearing her glasses) that slowly rotated as they floated through the predetermined path that sent them uphill into steep descents inevitably getting them drenched.

Xion gulped as she watched one of the trios that had just skidded down the long slope crash into the big pool of water. "Roxas, remind me again why you had to choose a ride like _this_ when you know I don't like getting wet in anything but a bathing suit?"

"Because I know you don't like getting wet in anything but a bathing suit," Roxas answered with a grin. "Besides, it's not like anyone forced you to get on with us."

Xion scoffed but neglected to admit out loud that the only reason she tagged along was because she wasn't going to allow either of those two to be alone for a split second. "Well, I'd rather get on and suffer with you two than just sit and watch from the sidelines."

"I'm a little on the fence about getting drenched myself," Naminé admitted sheepishly. "But I've never been on one of these before, so I can't help but be a little excited, too!"

"That's awesome, Nam," Roxas said like a proud older brother.

"Yeah. Yippy," Xion muttered under her breath with her eyes shifting to the side. She felt her dread return once their tube slowly ascended up the slope. Xion subconsciously clenched her teeth.

"Hey, no worries," Roxas said in a calm voice, offering a hand to Xion. "In case you forgot, we'll be getting soaked right along with you."

Xion gave the tiniest of smiles before accepting his hand in gratitude. He seemed like he always knew what to say. Naminé felt the slightest ping in her chest seeing Roxas take the hand of another girl. Deep down, in the dark corners of her mind, she hoped that would have been an act exclusive between the two of them. Before she could delve further down that rabbit hole, Roxas spoke up.

"We're in this together." Roxas looked Naminé in the eyes, subtly gesturing to Xion before giving her a firm stare. "Right?"

That look of his told her all she needed to know. Naminé realized she wasn't considering Xion and looked at the short-haired raven. Despite her blurry vision, Naminé sensed the anxiety from her trembling figure—an anxiety she was all-too familiar with. Naminé held her fist close to her chest, hesitating to act on what she was deliberating in her head. She glanced up at Roxas and saw a smile that seemed to be encouraging her to do what she felt was right. She wanted to make someone else feel safe the way he made her feel safe.

But what if Xion thought she was weird? What if Xion rejected her? What if Xion started avoiding her? Naminé shook her head of those questions and decided she would muster up the courage.

"X-Xion," Naminé stuttered as she extended her hand. "I know what it's like to be scared. But, um... if it makes you feel any better, j-just remember that I'm with you, too."

Xion felt her lips part. It was the last thing she would've expected from Naminé, but she inwardly admitted that the gesture was sweet of her. Xion sighed before relenting and taking Naminé's hand.

"You two are really sappy, you know that?" Xion said.

"You'll get used to it," Roxas quipped as he took Naminé's hand as well, making her slightly more comfortable with the situation.

Despite rolling her eyes, Xion couldn't help but keep a smile. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad. However, the more they edged closer to the top of the slide, her anxiety creeped up on her in the form of a pale face and clattering teeth. Roxas chuckled at all of the facial expressions Xion put on for display.

"Water doesn't bite, you know," Roxas teased.

"Sh-Sh-Sh-Shut up!"

Roxas stole a glance at Naminé, who looked more excited than fearful. He was beginning to admire this adventurous side of her. The anticipation was building with every second. Eventually, they reached the top and were allowed to take in the scope of the festival, not to mention the steep descent.

Xion braced herself. "Roxas," she said.

"Yeah?"

"If I get out of this without having a heart attack, remind me to _kill_ you."

"Yes, ma'am."

Their tube toppled over the edge and went flying down the waterslide. Xion was practically screaming her lungs out while both Roxas and Naminé seemed to have daring smiles, swept up in the moment. The wind blew in their faces, rustling their hair, and sent their adrenaline into high gear. Xion held onto both Roxas and Naminé for dear life as she tried to close her eyes, bracing herself for the contact with the giant pool of water below.

Sure enough, they landed with a big splash.

* * *

Kairi had a sparkle in her eye.

As she walked along with a small crowd, she couldn't stop her head from turning every five seconds. As they moved through the spacious interior of a large building that acted as a grand exhibit for many cherished guardians of light in both ancient and recent history, Kairi took in many detailed statues, impressive in their stature, of former wielders of the Kingdom Key as well as banners hanging from the ceilings.

"Guys, isn't this amazing?" Kairi asked her four companions, those being Riku, Amaya, Haru, and...

Sora.

She watched Sora closely. His mind seemed elsewhere as he loosely followed behind the crowd with his hands tied behind the back of his head. This was particularly noticeable as the tour led everyone to a section dedicated to someone Sora was very familiar with.

"And here we have our most recent wielder of the Kingdom Key: Zack Fair," said the female tour guide. "Zack was eighteen when he was recruited into SOLDIER and he first discovered his ability to wield the Kingdom Key when he was twenty-one. For reasons undisclosed to the public, Zack eventually left SOLDIER and embarked on his own training to become a proper Keyblade Master. However, once Sephiroth began terrorizing the worlds, Zack set forth on what would be his destined path in putting an end to Sephiroth's attempt at tyranny. Many lives were saved thanks to his actions. The next chosen wielder, whoever they may end up being, will have a lot to live up to in his absence."

Sora had an eyebrow raised as he studied many of the cherished wielders and guardians that came before him. Comparatively, they looked so heroic and important. When he stopped in front of a sophisticated painting of a previous wielder of the Kingdom Key, Bartz Klauser, he was able to see his own reflection against the polished surface and let his arms rest at his side.

Suddenly, he felt rather small.

Haru looked at PuPu as if the doll had caught her attention. She then noticed Riku who seemed to keep glancing at something. Haru nodded at PuPu in agreement before she looked up at her big sister. "Amaya, can I go look over there?" Haru pointed to a corner of the exhibit as she let go of Amaya's hand.

Amaya looked uncertain for a moment before nodding. "Well, okay. Just make sure you don't stray away too far from us, baby."

"I won't!" Haru scurried off, Amaya making sure to keep a close eye on her.

Meanwhile, Sora stopped in his tracks and looked up at the glorified statue of Zack Fair. He wore his signature grin brimming with a certain confidence Sora envied as he had the Kingdom Key resting across his shoulders. The longer Sora stared, the more he felt his eyebrows furrow. Suddenly, a few images unfamiliar to him whiplashed into his mind and it caught Sora off-guard. He winced and swung his hand to his forehead to repress the minor headache that followed.

Kairi, who had been walking ahead along with Haru, Amaya, and Riku, had already noticed Sora frozen in place. It almost looked as if he were having a staring contest with the statue. Her confusion turned into concern when she saw Sora putting a hand to his forehead, clearly in pain. She quickly caught up to Sora and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" she asked with a sweet smile laced with worry this time around.

"Y-Yeah, no worries," Sora covered, doing his best to retain his normal disposition. But in his mind, he wondered what that image was or where it came from. It was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.

Kairi wrapped her arms behind her back and bent over slightly to get a better look at his face. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," Sora answered. "I was just, uh... admiring him. Seems like he was an incredible guy, huh?"

Kairi stood up straight, giving Sora the briefest of glances before following his line of vision. "Yes," she agreed. "From everything I've learned about him today, he actually reminds me of you."

"Me?" Sora pointed at himself with a derpy face.

Kairi giggled at the innocent reaction. "Why are you so surprised? He seemed like the type to wear his heart on his sleeve—like you in a lot of ways."

"Huh." Sora craned his neck upwards to look at the Zack statue in the eyes. Did they really come across as similar? Maybe there was a pattern to the Kingdom Key's choices, after all. "I guess I never looked at it that way before."

Kairi took note of his words. What would make him think about it in the first place unless he and Zack shared some sort of relation? "You also seem like huge dorks."

"Thanks, Kai—wait, hey!"

Kairi put her hand over her lips as she snickered. She then returned to a warm smile. "It's okay. I like huge dorks."

Sora blinked, feeling his cheeks suddenly burn profusely.

"She's not wrong, Sora," Riku said as he and Amaya caught up to them. He came up from behind Sora and trapped him into a headlock. "You're pretty much the biggest dork I know."

"What, like you aren't?" Sora bit back as he shoved Riku away.

Riku smirked. "Me? I'm as cool as they come."

"Riku!" Haru shouted, running towards the four of them with her stubby legs. "Look! I got the Zack Fair action figure that PuPu told me you kept staring at! She said it would make you happy if I gave it to you!"

Riku felt the hairs on his neck stiffen. He thought for sure he was being discreet with his side glances. To make matters worse, Sora, Kairi, and Amaya were giving him the most smug grins they could muster.

"F-For my little cousin," Riku excused. "I thought it'd be a cool souvenir for him."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that," Sora joked, making the girls snicker. Riku grunted.

The others were all about to catch back up with the group before Kairi took ahold of Sora by the shoulder. "Hey," she said gently.

He raised an eyebrow as he turned to face her. "What's up?"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kairi asked, concern etched on her face.

Sora paused momentarily before brightening up with a smile. "Of course! What makes you ask that?"

Kairi looked into his eyes carefully. He might have been able to put on a convincing show, but something about his eyes made Kairi uncertain of his sincerity. "You just seem a little distracted, that's all. And if you ever need someone to talk to—"

"No worries!" Sora cut off. "I'm totally fine. But thanks for asking. We better catch up to the others, though."

Sora rushed over to Riku and Amaya, making sure not to fall too far behind. Kairi furrowed her brows. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about him that he wasn't letting on and she had been feeling this way about him ever since they first met. She found him kind of mysterious in his own unassuming sort of way.

But as her sister would tell anyone who asked, Kairi was persistent and she wasn't one to give up easily.

After a few more minutes of touring the area, the group decided to make their exit (though, not before Riku could discreetly purchase the Zack Fair action figure and hide it in his bag of "souvenirs").

"So, where to, guys?" Sora yawned as he stretched his arms once they were greeted with the warm sun.

"I could go for some mochi," Kairi said cheerily before cringing when reminded of the name of her cat.

"That sounds yummy! I want mochi, too!" Haru shouted.

"Well, it's almost afternoon. We don't want to spoil whatever we end up getting for lunch," Amaya trailed off before she began digging through her satchel. "Let's see, where did I put that thing..."

Riku groaned while Kairi and Sora gave polite but weary smiles. "Can you do us a favor and not pull out that dumb schedule?" Riku asked.

Amaya stopped digging through her satchel to look Riku in the eyes. "Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying." Riku shrugged. "This is supposed to be fun, not a field trip."

Amaya placed her hands on her hips. "Well, I don't think a little organization would kill anybody."

Sora and Kairi sighed simultaneously. "Here they go again," Kairi said quiet enough for only Sora to hear as their friends got into yet another spout.

Sora chuckled. "They've always been like this even when we were kids. You kinda get used to it."

"Wanna go for some mochi while this old married couple sort things out with each other?" Kairi asked with a giggle.

"Sounds good to me," Sora answered with a smile.

"Amayaaaaa," Haru whined, tugging on her sister's skirt. "I wanna get mochi!"

"Just one moment, baby," Amaya said as she returned to her argument with Riku.

A frustrated Haru looked at PuPu with her cheeks puffed out. Sora caught the little girl by surprise when he kneeled down and took her by the hand, using his head to gesture her to follow him while also putting a finger to his lips with a wink. Haru gave him an enthusiastic grin once she caught on.

"Can't you just chill for once?" Riku asked. "We don't need a schedule. If we want to get some food, then let's just get some food."

Amaya rolled her eyes. "Look, I get that it probably isn't a big deal to someone like you who lives here, but try to understand where I'm coming from. I don't get to visit Destiny Islands as much as I used to and Haru has only been here a handful of times. We want to be able to see as much of this as we can and make the absolute most of our time here. Right, Haru?" Amaya waited for a high-pitched shriek of agreement but it never came. "Haru?"

The two finally remembered that the rest of the world existed and noticed that they were missing three heads. Riku frowned. He asked Kairi in the morning if she wanted to spend time with him at the festival that day, which she enthusiastically agreed to. Though, he regretted not clarifying that he meant _just_ the two of them as it didn't take long for Kairi to quickly invite Sora and his cousins to tag along with them just like the day before when those three barged into their one-on-one time. Now, there he was, with the very last girl he wanted to be stuck with while Sora was basically alone with Kairi. They likely had Haru with them, but it didn't stop Riku from furrowing his brows.

"Wait, what happened to Sora and Kairi?" Amaya asked no one in particular.

"Maybe you bored them to death," Riku quipped with a grin.

Amaya glared his way before she began making her way through the crowd. "Complain if you must, but you're helping me find them."

Riku shrugged as he stuffed his hands in his pockets as he followed her. "You and me looking for Sora? Just like old times."

* * *

After Sora, Kairi, and Haru finished eating their mochi, the latter of the three was quick to look for the next festival activity to indulge. They eventually came across a playground that acted as a respite for children to play while adults and guardians were allowed to rest at one of the many benches and tables.

Haru, with her boundless energy, took part in everything she could. Sora seemed just as excited as he pushed her as high as he could on the swings, sat with her in his lap as they slid down the slide, and climbed on the monkey bars while making sure his little cousin didn't fall and hurt herself. Kairi watched them from a short distance with a smoothie, watching with amusement and giggling approximately every thirty seconds. Haru was cute enough on her own, but it was especially endearing to see how much fun Sora seemed to be having considering he was easily the oldest running around in the playground. Kairi thought it was adorable the way Sora would hike Haru up onto his shoulders while Haru commanded Sora where to go and he'd happily oblige.

Eventually, Sora needed a break and trucked over to where Kairi was sitting and plopped himself down. Kairi leaned against her fist with a cheeky grin, using her opposite hand to swirl the straw of her halfway gone smoothie.

"All tuckered out?" Kairi asked.

"Even I have my limits," Sora said breathlessly. "That Haru sure is something."

They both watched Haru chatting with a couple of other children around her age. It seemed she was quick to find some new friends. She caught Sora and Kairi's eye and with a toothy grin, she waved at them rapidly before she spoke to her new friends in a way that almost made it look like she was bragging about the both of them.

Kairi giggled. "She's a good girl, though."

Sora nodded. "Yeah. She is."

As time went by, the realization of the situation gradually hit Sora. There he was, sitting alone with Kairi. He glanced over to her and she looked as if she were in deep thought. Sora wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He knew Riku was pining after her and Sora had already encouraged him to do so. Would it really be right to try to go for her now after he already gave Riku the green light?

No, he couldn't. He knew his best friend and it wasn't often Riku liked a girl the same way he liked Kairi. Besides, Sora didn't know how to talk to girls. It would likely end in disaster. But that didn't mean he couldn't at least try being friendly, right?

"So, Kairi—"

"So, Sora—"

After a pregnant pause, the two fell into a light chortle.

"You first," Sora offered.

"I have a proposal."

Sora tilted his head. "What kind of proposal?"

Kairi gave him a wide grin. "We should hang out sometime after the festival ends!"

Sora blinked. Did he hear that right? "I'm sorry, what now?"

"You. Me. An outing with the intention of having fun and getting to know each other better," Kairi answered casually.

Sora looked as if he were trying to calculate quantum physics. Did she just ask him out? A girl that he himself had interest in. A girl he thought was more interested in his best friend than him. Was there a secret camera somewhere he didn't know about?

"You're joking, right?" Sora said without thinking.

Kairi paused at the unexpected response before rolling her eyes and leaning her chin into her palm, averting her eyes. "You know, a simple 'no thank you' would have been perfectly fine."

Sora, realizing she had misconstrued what he meant, waved his hands frantically. "No, no, no! T-That's not what I meant!" He scratched his cheek. He never had much of a way with his words. "It's just, well, uh... it caught me by surprise, that's all," he admitted with an edgy chuckle. "I mean, aren't you and Riku sort of like...? You know..."

Kairi sent him a blank stare and snickered. "What does that have to do with anything? I'm just asking you to hang out. Besides, Riku is my buddy! No worries, he knows we're just friends."

As far as Sora could tell, Riku's feelings for Kairi were still going strong, but Kairi made it sound like whatever he assumed was going on between them was nonexistent. Was that really true? Was it right to accept Kairi's invitation knowing that his best friend was interested in this girl? Especially since he already encouraged Riku to go for it. Then again, he was assuming Kairi's intentions. Maybe it meant nothing and she was simply inviting him to a completely platonic outing.

But why?

"Helloooo?" Sora was knocked out of his thoughts when Kairi lightly tapped him on the forehead with her knuckles. "Destiny Islands to Sora?"

"Oh, sorry," Sora apologized. "I was just, uh... thinking."

"You don't have to think about it so hard. All you have to do is say, 'why yes, Kairi, I would love to hang out sometime after the festival and pick you up around 12 o' clock in the afternoon this Saturday.' Easy peasy!"

Sora chuckled. Maybe he really was overthinking it. The way Kairi asked led him to believe it was more or less a friendly invitation that didn't mean anything. His smile deflated ever so slightly into a melancholic one. Of course she wouldn't ask him out in _that_ way. It would be best for him to keep his hopes low. Still, Sora perked himself back up before she caught onto his shift in demeanor. "Sure, why not?"

Kairi brightened at his answer. "It's a date!"

Despite his prior thoughts, Sora blushed at the word 'date' if only for the implication. "Y-Yeah."

Before Kairi could keep the conversation going, Haru ran over to their table and patted Sora on his thigh before quickly scurrying away. "Tag! You're it!"

"Hey, no fair!" Sora said, pretending to pout.

Haru turned around. "Run, Kairi, before he tags you!"

Kairi giggled as she got up from her seat and hurried over to Haru. Sora slumped his shoulders. "Aww, Kairi. Not you too."

"You heard her," Kairi retorted as she took Haru by the hand and led her back into the playground. "Hurry Haru, before the terrifying tickle monster gets us!"

Sora grinned. "Oh, you asked for it."

* * *

"I can't believe we got out of that practically dry," Naminé said as they exited from the venue.

"Me neither," Roxas said. "I've been on that ride a million times and I don't think I've ever come out as dry as I did today."

"I'm so happy for the both of you. Truly," Xion said, her damp hair looking more like a mop as her eyes were completely covered. From her black tank top to her denim shorts to her sneakers, she was soaked. Despite their sympathy, Roxas and Naminé couldn't help but share slight amusement at the sight of her. She moved her hair out of the way, revealing her bitterful eyes.

Roxas chuckled nervously. "Uh, sorry Xion."

Xion shook herself enough to the point where she was damp. "Try saying sorry with my fist in your mouth."

Before Xion could chase after Roxas, the trio heard a familiar voice.

"Well, if it isn't the boyfriend and girlfriend," said a familiar voice that all three recognized belonging to Kairi. They craned their heads to find Sora, Kairi, and Haru approaching, the latter of the three being quick to rush towards her other favorite big cousin, Xion.

Kairi wrapped an arm around Roxas's shoulder. "Tell me, Rox, when are you going to turn Naminé Villiers into Naminé Strife?"

Haru gasped dramatically as her eyes darted back and forth between Roxas and Naminé. "Are you two married?!"

Roxas laughed nervously while Naminé's cheeks burned red. "No, not exactly," Roxas answered.

"Ask them again in about fifteen years," Kairi joked, giving Haru a wink.

Kairi gave her sister a sly look while Naminé only glared at her. "I already regret telling you about that," Naminé mumbled only loud enough for her to hear.

Kairi fell into a fit of giggles before she stopped when noticing the slightest frown on Xion's face.

"Hey, why the long face?" Kairi asked her.

Xion snapped out of it and returned to her usual friendly demeanor. "Oh, uh... it's nothing."

"You competing in the struggle tourney tomorrow, Roxas?" Sora asked, his question aimed at Roxas. The boy paused momentarily as the question was somewhat unexpected.

"I'm not sure if I'm up for it this year."

"You say that every year," Xion noted.

"Exactly." Roxas clicked his tongue and pointed at her.

"Aw, c'mon, Roxas," Sora said. "A little friendly competition couldn't hurt. And I'm sure you and Riku would make the top five rankings easily."

Naminé side-eyed Roxas curiously. Was he really as good of a fighter as everyone seemed to say he was?

Kairi furrowed her eyebrows. "What about you, Sora?"

"Huh?" Sora raised an eyebrow. "What about me?"

"Aren't you competing? Don't make it sound like you couldn't make top five just as easily," Kairi said, her hands on her hips with a look of disapproval.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Haru agreed, nodding her head vigorously. "Top five! Like me!" she added, referring to her age.

Sora rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "Well, it's just... I've never won a struggle tournament before, I guess. The closest I've ever gotten was seventh place." He chuckled humorlessly. "I could never do as good as Riku. You should've seen it! Last year, he won third place in the—"

"And what does Riku have to do with any of this?" she pressed further, shooting Sora a frown as she placed her hands on her hips and got closer to his face. The look was sharp enough to make Sora shrink with discomfort. "How about you try believing in yourself for once?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah!" Haru seemed to be trying to imitate Kairi as she set her hands on her waist and sent Sora a disapproving scowl. "Believe!"

"Well, uh..."

But before Sora could answer, the collective shriek of girls from behind caught their attention.

"SETZERRRR!"

The group of six turned around to find a man with long silver hair and lavender eyes, faint scars adorning his face. His most notable form of attire was his high-collared black coat draped across his shoulders. Setzer stood in the middle of his adoring public, waving to them in an attempt to look modest while having his champion belt slung over his shoulder.

"One thing I do know is that I wouldn't mind seeing someone knock that guy's ego down a size or two," Sora said, frowning at the display of subtle narcissism oozing from Setzer.

"Tell me about it," Roxas agreed, shaking his head. "But I think you might think too highly of me, Sora. I haven't been training for this like you and Riku."

"To the surprise of no one," said a new voice most recognized belonging to Seifer. They turned to find Seifer approaching along with his cronies, Rai and Fuu in tow.

"Oh, great," Xion droned, rolling her eyes. "It's the absolute _last_ guy I was hoping to see."

"Appreciate the sincerity, Xion," Seifer returned with equal sarcasm before looking at Roxas. "Should've known a sunspot like you weren't one to rise up to an honest challenge."

"It's like you read me like a book," Roxas said with a shrug. "Happy?"

"Not particularly," Seifer answered. "I would've had the pleasure of taking you down in the tournament and show Rufus Shinra you're not worth the trouble for SOLDIER in the first place."

"Oh yeah, Seifer is gonna mop the floor with the competition this year to show how a real man takes care of business, y'know?" Rai said.

"That goes for the rest of your little slacker friends, too," Seifer said, his eyes directed at Sora this time.

Sora frowned. "No hard feelings when I trample you in the tourney, Seifer."

Seifer laughed. "Please. Out of everyone participating, you're probably the most irrelevant, Sora. You keep dreamin' and maybe someday you'll be in the conversation."

Sora was about to retort but realized he didn't have a comeback and painfully kept to himself. Kairi noticed how hurt Sora looked and was quick to march towards Seifer.

"Are you actually capable of being a human being or are you just permanently grating to everyone's ears?" she asked.

Haru took on a similar appearance as Kairi. She didn't appreciate anyone disrespecting her big cousin. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! Gr... grading!"

Seifer ignored Haru and set his focus on Kairi. "You're that chick Riku was with." His eyes darted between Sora and Kairi, not failing to notice how protective of him she seemed. He chuckled. "So, what? Found a new guy to cling to? Guess I shouldn't be surprised. You're just like the rest of 'em."

"Hussy," Fuu stated nonchalantly.

" **What the hell did you just call me?** " Kairi growled.

"Oh, it's on," Xion said.

Kairi never took being called out of her name lightly. She rolled up her sleeves while Xion cracked her knuckles, both of them ready to rip the hair out of Fuu and give Seifer a run for his munny too, but luckily Sora was able to restrain Kairi while Roxas held back Xion.

" **A hussy? Me? For your information, there's nothing going on between Riku and I and my personal life is none of your business. Just who the hell do you think you are? Me and Xion are totally gonna kick your** —"

"And who's this?" Seifer asked, ignoring Kairi's threats as his eyes settled on the mysterious blonde, bespectacled girl trying to calm her sister down.

"O-Oh, um... h-hello," Naminé greeted, feeling Seifer's somewhat expressionless gaze intimidating.

Seifer approached her, making Naminé shrink. "You new to the island?"

Xion and Kairi, who eventually broke free of Sora and Roxas, stood protectively in front of the blonde. Haru, wanting to be tough like the big kids, joined them as well.

"Don't even give him the time of day, Naminé," Xion said.

"You better keep your paws off my sister," Kairi threatened with a menacing glare.

"Yeah, yeah! Paws off!" Haru added as she stuck her tongue out at Seifer.

"It's pretty rude to ignore others, don't you think?" Seifer said. "I just wanted to introduce myself."

Kairi and Xion eventually backed off, albeit only slightly, while Haru only imitated whatever Kairi did. They kept their arms crossed and fists attached to their hips waiting for a moment to jump on Seifer if he did anything inappropriate to Naminé. Seifer also didn't fail to notice Roxas giving him a discernible glower from behind Naminé, as if he wasn't comfortable with Seifer speaking to Naminé either. Seifer smirked—he reveled in any moment to get under Roxas's skin.

"So, Naminé, is it?" Seifer said. "We ain't never met before, right?"

"What a lovely first impression," Xion droned, rolling her eyes.

"Be quiet," Seifer growled.

Naminé adjusted her glasses. "N-No, I don't believe we have, um... m-my name is Naminé. I, um, hope we can get along, Seifer."

Seifer's lips parted while a faint blush spread across his nose. He cleared his throat. "Yeah, sure."

Kairi and Xion shared a look of surprise before they both gave Seifer knowing grins.

"The hell're you two lookin' at?" Seifer growled.

"Is that how you talk to girls?" Kairi asked.

"Seems like he's got a type," Xion teased.

"I-It's been a while, okay?" Seifer stuttered.

Kairi snuck over to Roxas and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Sorry, but she's basically already taken. Looks like you're out of luck."

Xion was about to retort with a follow up, but once she realized what Kairi was suggesting, she didn't want to add more to it and kept to herself.

Naminé felt her blush deepen with Kairi's claim but she didn't go out of her way to deny it. She peered behind her to see what kind of face Roxas was making. He seemed relatively unbothered. That was, until their eyes met and he suddenly looked away, as if he went into deep thought about something. Naminé wasn't sure what to make of that. Xion took mental note of the brief interaction from the side as well. Both her and Naminé studied Roxas carefully, wondering what was going through his head.

Of all things, all Roxas could think of was Snow.

_"Because if you don't, and I see you're trying to get involved with Naminé in a way I don't like, there's going to be a problem. You don't want a problem. Not with me. Understood?"_

"Taken, huh?" Seifer put a hand to his chin. His eyes went up to Roxas. "It wouldn't happen to be this guy, would it?"

Roxas narrowed his eyes. "So what if it was?"

Seifer closed his eyes while putting on a cocky smirk. "You know, it's a shame I don't mess with taken women. Otherwise, I'd have to show Naminé here who's really worth her time in the struggle tournament when she sees me take you down."

"In ten minutes flat, y'know!" Rai felt the need to add. Roxas only rolled his eyes.

"Instant annihilation," the stone-faced Fuu added.

"But oh, that's right, you're too much of a chicken wuss to compete," Seifer continued. "Guess it works out for the best, then."

"You wish," Sora said. "Roxas would mop the floor with you."

"Oh yeah? Then how come he won't prove it, y'know?" Rai asked.

"'Cause he's afraid of proving me right," Seifer answered, his eyes set on Roxas the entire time. At first, Roxas didn't acknowledge him as Seifer and his entourage began to walk past them. But they stopped in their tracks with his next words.

"Wait, Seifer," Roxas said. Seifer turned his head halfway.

"Got somethin' to say?"

"Yeah, I do," Roxas said. "For the record, Naminé isn't my girlfriend. So, don't let little old me stop you from talking to her."

While it was technically true, Naminé felt her heart drop at hearing him verbalize the truth in such a nonchalant way. It almost sounded as if he didn't _want_ to give off that impression. She didn't say anything and kept to herself. She didn't like that she had suddenly become the center of the attention. If she could have her way, she would have gone invisible if she could.

"Um, what?" Kairi said with a disapproving tone while Xion internally sighed with relief.

"Boooooooo!" Haru added.

"But she's my friend," Roxas continued. "And I'm not going to just let anyone have the chance to hurt her. You hear?"

Seifer scoffed. "I don't know what you take me for, but that's not in my code. I don't hurt people unless they deserve it."

"Then why act like such a jerk all the time?" Sora asked in an accusatory tone.

"Call it what you want. The way I see it, I'm only being as tough as I need to be to keep things in order around here. If it means I have to get a little rough from time to time, then so be it."

"That's a pretty way of justifying it," Roxas said. "But you definitely go a bit overkill sometimes. So, I'm not sure how much I trust that. Whatever the case, I need to make sure you won't do anything that'll hurt Naminé." He smiled. "So, maybe if we meet in the tournament, I can give you a preview of what'll happen."

Everyone in their circle either smiled excitedly or stared at him in shock.

"All right!" Sora said, fist pumping.

Seifer smirked. "About time. How about we make it even more interesting?"

Seifer began approaching Roxas. "Interesting, how?" Roxas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"If we face each other in the tournament, and in the event that I mop the floor with you, you'll have to sign up for SOLDIER along with me." Seifer extended his hand. "Deal?"

All eyes were on Roxas. He wouldn't possibly take a gamble like that, would he? Seifer was no slouch when it came to combat. He had even been the reigning champion of last year's struggle tournament before Setzer claimed the glory for himself instead.

But to the surprise of everyone, with a confident grin, Roxas took his hand. "Deal."

Seifer's smirk went from confident to almost malicious, as if his prey were caught in some kind of trap. "Guess I'll see you in the ring."

"I guess you will."

Seifer gave Roxas's hand a good squeeze before unraveling his fingers, the both of them locked into a staring contest.

"Okay, are we done here?" Xion asked impatiently as she tapped her foot. "Good. Now go back to the nineties where you came from."

Seifer chose not to entertain her with a remark and left with his friends.

"Roxas, are you sure about this?" Xion asked once Seifer was out of the picture. "I mean, is this really worth throwing your whole life away to SOLDIER?

"What, no confidence in me?" Roxas asked in a teasing voice. "Don't worry. I've got it under control. As long as you guys root for me."

Roxas turned to face Naminé with a bright smile, fully expecting a smile in return only to realize he would get a slight frown and an aversion to eye contact instead. It was only then that Roxas realized he might have done something wrong.

"Well, Roxas, I'll be rooting for you!" Sora said before tying his hands behind his head.

Kairi cleared her throat and crossed her arms. "Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked, her question aimed at Sora.

Sora tilted his head. "Ummm...?"

Kairi shook her head but kept her grin. "Did we not already discuss that you would be competing in the tournament, too? You should give yourself a bit more credit than that!"

"Yeah, yeah! More credit!"

Sora gave an embarrassed smile and rubbed the back of his head. "Gee, you really think I've got a shot?"

"Of course," Kairi said. "Haru and I will be rooting for you! Right, Haru?"

"Uh huh! Uh huh!" Haru nodded. "PuPu, too!"

"Besides, you always seem busy with that training you're always occupied with," Kairi continued. "Who's to say you won't put Seifer _and_ Roxas in their place?"

"Oh, I see how it is," Roxas said. "Plotting my downfall already, huh Kai?"

Kairi playfully stuck her tongue out at him. Haru did the same.

Sora took her words into deep consideration. Sure, he was competing, but he figured he was mostly doing it for fun. He didn't have any real expectations that he would actually do well. What happened to his competitive spirit? That zest for outwitting his opponents? He had spent so much time comparing himself to Riku that he started to subconsciously deem himself unfit to rise to the challenge.

His status as the chosen one might have played a part in that as well.

Kairi was right. He didn't need to sell himself short. With a newfound resolve, he gave Kairi an appreciative smile. "You know what, Kairi? You're right. Who's to say I won't go out there and kick some tail?"

"That's the spirit!" Kairi cheered.

"Good luck out there, Roxas," Sora said, turning to face him. "But if we end up going against each other, don't expect me to pull my punches!"

Roxas put on a lopsided grin. "I'd be disappointed if you did."

While Kairi went back to teasing Sora, Roxas tried to maintain his casual demeanor while discreetly keeping Naminé in the view of his peripheral. Was it just him or was she deliberately avoiding eye contact with him? She wasn't standing as close and while she had her arms tied behind her back, her shoulders looked stiff.

Xion quietly studied both of them.

* * *

Donald walked alongside Goofy, his nephews, and Daisy. He had his arms crossed as he scoured the area for any spiky-haired teenagers—made only more difficult that more than half of the island's population were spiky-haired teenagers. Clearly, none of them were the one they were searching for. Donald was never a big fan of crowds seeing as he much preferred his peace and quiet; he would have been even grumpier if Daisy hadn't been there to at least make it less insufferable. Goofy and the others seemed to be in much higher spirits as they watched the surrounding scenery in awe, pointing at all of the cool rides and interesting attractions.

"Aww, I can't believe it," Donald said. He stopped in his tracks and tapped his webbed foot as his hawk-like eyes scanned the area. "How come _we_ hafta get put on some babysitting mission?" He had more than enough time babysitting Huey, Dewey, and Louie as it already was.

"Garwsh, I wouldn't call it babysittin'," Goofy said in between licks. "We gotta be shore to tell Sora to come to the clocktower after the festival while the king is busy lookin' fer a cure fer that there geosti... er... geostinagatory, huh?"

"That's _geostigma_ , ya big palooka!" Donald argued. "Bah, who asked you, anyway?"

"Aww, cheer up, Unca Donald!" Dewey said.

"Yeah, lighten up," Huey interjected.

Donald sent them an annoyed gaze. Daisy hooked her arm with his and giggled. "What's so funny?" Donald asked.

"Oh, Donald. Don't be such a grouch," Daisy said. "Look on the bright side for a change. At least we get to spend some time together as a family at one of the most beautiful worlds in the galaxy. The Guardian Festival is only once a year, so we should enjoy this time while we have it."

"I hate festivals," Donald muttered under his breath. Daisy shot him a disapproving look.

"Look, everybody!" Louie said, pointing at one of the many contraptions. It looked like three wacky chairs lined up together ready to shoot at three bowls laid out in front of them. Above them was a banner that read 'Ice Cream Beat' as well as a disclaimer that anyone who participates in this game had a chance of winning their own free ice cream cone. It looked like some sort of device that shot out ice cream. "It's just like the one back home."

"Free ice cream? I could go for some of that," Dewey said.

"Me too!" Hewey said in agreement.

"Me three," Louie added.

"Sorry, boys," said the man running the attraction. "You have to be a certain age to hop onto this little baby. The goal is to get a certain amount of ice cream cones or else you'll get dumped into this here tank, yes siree."

The man pulled away a sheet that was hiding a large fish tank underneath the devices.

"We can handle a little water. Right, fellas?" Huey asked his brothers, both of them nodding.

"Sorry. Rules are rules," the man reaffirmed.

The boys all hung their heads low before glancing at each other as a simultaneous lightning bulb popped over each of their heads.

"Hey, Unca Donald!" Dewey said.

"Could you win us free ice cream?" Louie asked.

"We've been good today," Hewey added.

"No way!" Donald denied, using his arms to emphasize his point further. "We don't have time. Goofy and I are on an important mission."

"Aww, please, Unca Donald?" all three of them pleaded, fluttering their eyes for good measure.

"I SAID NO," Donald shouted.

"Donald," Daisy said in her usual reprimanding tone as she wagged her finger at him. "You need to get ahold of yourself. We understand that you're technically on duty, but what kind of uncle are you to just ignore the wants of his nephews on a day when they're supposed to be having the time of their life? His Majesty said we're allowed to relax and aren't in such a rush that you can't stop for a moment and win your boys some ice cream."

Donald looked guilty and winced at her words. "But Daisy..."

Daisy crossed her arms and tapped her high-heeled webbed foot. Next to her, the boys were still giving him toothy smiles with innocent eyes.

Donald sighed as he dragged himself over to the man in charge of the attraction and paid him two-hundred munny. Daisy put on a pleased and satisfied smile while the boys all high-fived each other.

Donald slouched in the seat and gripped the handles, preparing himself for the worst. The man leaned on the chair. "All right, sir, all you have to do is produce a score of two thousand and two-hundred."

Donald felt his pupils dilate. "Wak!?" he quacked. "That's ridiculous!"

"Donald," Daisy warned.

Donald grumbled under his breath. "Goofy, get over here and help me out with this stupid thing!"

Goofy scratched his head before taking the seat next to Donald. After they were both strapped in, it was time for the game to begin. When the man pressed a button, they could hear a rendition of "It's a Small World" playing from the speaker. Donald and Goofy began shooting snow cones from their devices into their respective bowls, each stacking on each other as they went along.

Once Donald got a better feel for the controls, he was able to ease his frustration a bit and have a little fun. "This'll be a piece of cake!"

"A-hyuk, yeah, this ain't so bad once you get the hang of it."

Daisy and the boys cheered the both of them on as Donald and Goofy increased their scores and continued pelting ice cream cones into the bowls until they were stacked so high in the air that they couldn't even see the top of it anymore.

After about five minutes, time was up and Donald wiped his hands with a smug grin on his face. "How was that?"

"Hmm, well..." the man said as he looked at the scoreboard. "Looks like the two of you combined were able to produce two thousand one hundred ninety-nine points. I guess you lose."

"What?!" Donald stomped. Huey, Dewey, and Louie were disappointed and Daisy hugged all three of them comfortingly. "This game is rigged!"

"Garwsh..." Goofy scratched his cheek with confusion.

"Sorry, but it looks like you two are gonna have to take a dip," the man said, grappling onto a lever and pulling it up. Donald and Goofy felt their chairs rumble and vibrate almost aggressively before they were shot up into the air like cannon balls. The man in charge of the game, Daisy, and the boys watched as Donald and Goofy were sent all the way across the festival.

"WAAAK!" Donald quacked.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-HA-HA-HA-HOOOEY..."

Daisy glared at the man in charge expectantly, waiting for an explanation. The man scratched his head before he read the disclaimers on the level more carefully.

"Oops," he said. "Guess I was supposed to pull the lever down if I wanted them to fall into the tank."

* * *

Amaya was promptly tapping her foot with her gummi phone attached to her ear. She sat at a table shaded by an umbrella along with Riku, both with iced drinks at their disposal.

When Amaya got the voicemail message, she hung up and buried her face into her hands. "I don't believe it. Neither of them picked up. _Again._ Like, I just don't understand! How can he be so careless? What if Haru gets lost in a crowd? Or if they take her to the water park and she slips and twists her ankle? The _one_ day I decided not to bring my first aid kit. Can you believe that? At least I think I did well in teaching her about stranger danger... but Haru is such a friendly little thing she might not even remember. And what would Mom think? Do you think she'd send me off to boarding school? Oh, I am going to give Sora a piece of my mind! I think it's incredibly irresponsible to up and leave without my permission—"

She cut herself off when a crumpled up piece of paper smacked her against the forehead, the culprit being none other than the person sitting across from her. After giving him a curious but frustrated stare, she unraveled the paper to find a series of tally marks.

"And... this is supposed to be?" she asked.

"The amount of times you've called Sora," Riku answered. "We're at approximately thirty-four times in the past ten minutes. You think that's a new record?"

Amaya glared at him before crumpling the paper back into a ball and tossing it back to him, effectively hitting him square on his own forehead. "Riku, please. Can't you see I'm freaking out here? I have no clue if my little sister or my doofus cousin are okay. Could use a little emotional support!"

"Here we go again," Riku said with a sigh. "Need I remind you we're at the Guardian Festival, not a haunted house? You and I both know that Sora would jump off a cliff before he let anything bad happen to Haru."

"It's not that I disagree, but... how come Sora or Kairi aren't answering? What if they're in some kind of trouble?"

"They probably just have their phones turned off. Maybe they want to actually _enjoy_ themselves for once? Don't make things a bigger deal than they need to be. Then again, this _is_ you we're talking about."

Amaya pouted. "Well, you certainly seem awfully calm."

Riku leaned back in his chair and slung his arm over the back of it. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, there's only the fact that the girl you seem to be pining for is practically by herself with someone else."

Riku sighed. "Didn't we already go through this yesterday? I told you: Sora and I would never let a girl come between us. Now, would you just drop that already?"

Amaya studied him for a few moments before deciding to drop the issue. She wasn't in the mood to argue, and quite frankly, she didn't care. Not until she knew those three were safe and sound—so that she could kill them, of course.

As if her prayers were heard and answered, she heard a familiar voice.

"Heeeeey! Rikuuuu! Amayaaaa!"

The voice clearly belonged to Sora and when she turned around, she saw him, Kairi, and Haru all racing towards them. Once they all reached the table, Sora performed a quick victory pose.

"Heh heh, I win!"

"No fair!" Haru pouted.

"You snooze you lose," Sora teased. "Besides, you were the one who challenged _me_ to a race."

"You should let the girls win, Sora!" Haru accused. "Haven't you ever heard of ladies first?!"

"Yeah, be more of a gentleman, Sora," Kairi joked, a teasing smirk directed at Sora. "Maybe he really isn't boyfriend material after all, Haru."

Riku felt his ears perk at the sound of that. He wasn't sure how he felt about the look Kairi was giving Sora either—it seemed lighthearted and innocent on the outside, but he couldn't help but detect a flirty undertone to it. Maybe he was overthinking.

"W-What?" Sora asked incredulously. "I didn't mean to—"

"Excuse me!" Amaya interrupted, marching towards Sora and forcefully grabbing his attention. "Just what kind of stunt was that? Running off like that. And with Haru, of all people! Where the heck were you three? Why didn't you answer any of my calls? You better have a good explanation for this. We were worried sick about you!"

"Correction," Riku interjected. " _She_ was worried sick about you. I, on the other hand, played my role as the voice of reason."

Riku kept his mouth shut after the deafening glare Amaya sent him that nonverbally communicated to him that he had best kept his mouth shut.

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Oh... sorry, Amaya. We just figured we'd grab some mochi while you and Riku cooled down and figured we'd turn off our phones."

Kairi sheepishly put up a single finger. "I'll take the blame for that last one."

"I guess we should've let guys know first," Sora added.

"You guess?" Amaya asked incredulously.

"Amaya, please don't yell at Sora," she said in a pleading voice as she held onto PuPu tight. "He didn't do nothing bad. And I was a good girl. Promise!"

Amaya gave Haru a look and suddenly her frustration dissipated with a sigh as she kneeled down to level with her little sister. "I know you were." Amaya then began physically examining Haru for bruises or scrapes. "But you didn't get hurt, right?"

"Amayaaaa," Haru whined.

"Sorry! You can never be too careful," Amaya said with a slight giggle.

Riku was leaning against his palm, watching Amaya being her usual naggy self with indifference. His eyes traveled up to find Sora and Kairi having their own side conversation that was completely inaudible from his perspective due to all of the chatter and hustle and bustle of the large crowds surrounding them. Since when did those two get so cozy?

"So, Sora," Riku said, raising his voice a bit to catch his friend's attention. "What did you guys end up doing?"

"Oh, tons of stuff," Sora answered. "First we went to grab some mochi, then we went on the Magic Carousel, and then we took Haru to the playground. It's too bad we didn't bring you guys with us. We had a ton of fun."

"Sora is really good with kids," Kairi added. "Riku, you should've seen his face when he went on the slide with Haru. If I didn't know any better, I would've thought he was a big kid himself."

Riku smirked. "He's always been like that. This guy is just a five-year-old trapped in a sixteen-year-old's body."

"Hey!" Sora said defensively. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hee hee! It means that I think you'll be a wonderful father someday." Kairi gave an encouraging smile to go along with her explanation.

Sora felt his lips part at the answer. He decided he would let the 'kid' comment go. He could make an exception for Kairi. "Gee, you think so?"

Riku wasn't expecting that. She called him a kid, but there was something about the way she looked at him that didn't sit right with him.

Sora pulled out his gummi phone. "Hey, why don't we take a picture?"

Riku rolled his eyes. "What is it with you and your obsession with taking pictures now?"

"Hey, nothing wrong with capturing the moment," Sora said. He thought about how he would have to leave Destiny Islands soon and potentially go into battle. "It may not seem like much right now, but these memories—the times we get to laugh, smile, and have fun together... they'll always be special to us in our hearts. They'll get us through the toughest days. So, I wanna be able to look back on a day like today and cherish it."

Kairi looked at Sora through her peripheral view, admiring the thoughtful and mature response. Despite his self-esteem issues, he always seemed to stay true to himself. Amaya, as much as she hated to admit it, thought it was a sweet way of looking at things as well.

Riku chuckled as he stood up from the table. "You never change, do you? Always the sap."

"Say that again," Sora threatened lightheartedly.

"Oooh, ooh! Can I take the picture?!" Haru asked, raising her hand like a student in class.

"Sure!" Sora offered.

"Yay!" Haru cheered. Sora picked her up and perched her on the table, handing her his phone. After instructing Haru on which button to press, he quickly ran back and got into position with the others. He stood in the middle of Amaya and Kairi, the former to his left with the latter to his right, setting his arms around their shoulders. Riku stood next to Amaya on the far left and set his own arm around her, though he didn't fail to spare a quick glance at Sora and Kairi.

"Okie dokie!" Haru said. "PuPu says everyone make a silly face!"

Amaya sighed. "I think your 'funny face special' is becoming a bad influence on her, Sora."

"Aww, come on, Amaya. It's not our fault you don't have a sense of humor anymore," he joked. Riku burst into laughter when Amaya gaped at her cousin for his comment. He could never get enough of Amaya bashing. Even Kairi started snickering as she held a closed fist to her face.

"W-Wha—I do, too!" Amaya said defensively.

"Well, now's your chance to prove it," Sora teased. "Hit it, Haru!"

Haru giggled. "Saaaay chocobo!"

The final result produced an image of Riku sporting his usual cocky grin with his arm wrapped around Amaya's shoulder, Kairi still snickering while Sora gave the camera the goofiest, most over the top grin he could muster as he snuck bunny ear fingers behind Amaya's head whose right cheek was puffed out in frustration.

"Okay!" Haru said. "Now PuPu says just Riku and Amaya!"

The two in question were both caught by surprise at the request.

"Us?" Amaya inquired.

"Yeah!" Haru nodded her head vigorously. "Don't be shy!"

Riku and Amaya exchanged a brief look. They both weren't sure why Haru, or rather, PuPu, would suggest a picture of just the two of them. Wasn't that something couples did? Not to mention the fact that they attempted to go down that road before and—

They both didn't want to think about that disaster.

The thought made Amaya blush ever so slightly and mess with a few strands of her hair while Riku simply cleared his throat.

"That shouldn't be a problem," Riku stated.

"R-Right, right, no problem at all," Amaya said.

Sora and Kairi happily stood to the side while Riku and Amaya tried figuring out the proper pose. They both were unsure what to do at first until Haru kept pressing for them to get closer and closer to each other. Eventually, she had Riku place his hand on her back and Amaya lean into him a bit closer, both with uncertain but content smiles.

When she liked what she saw, Haru smiled. "Okay, saaay—"

"Yeah, we know the drill," Riku interrupted.

With that, the picture was taken and produced a lovely result. Haru showed Sora and Kairi the picture and they both seemed to share approval.

"So, what's the verdict?" Sora asked in a teasing voice as he wrapped his hands behind his head.

"Mmm hm, mmm hm!" Kairi nodded as she held a finger to her chin. "They do look awfully good together."

"Something you guys would like to share with the rest of the class?" Riku asked, unable to hear their side conversation.

"Nothing!" Sora and Kairi covered.

"PuPu says now it's Sora and Kairi's turn!" Haru announced.

Sora swallowed a lump in his throat as if he couldn't have possibly seen this outcome coming. "W-Wait... like, _just_ us!"

"Of course!" Haru answered.

"But that's, uh—"

"I'm game!" Kairi said, effectively cutting Sora off as she grabbed him by the hand and practically dragged him to the spot where Riku and Amaya once stood. This time, it was Riku and Amaya's turn to watch from behind the camera.

Sora stood there, unsure of what he was supposed to do. How was he supposed to pose? Was he to put his arm around her shoulders? Maybe place his hand on her back like Riku did with Amaya? Kairi seemed like a fun-loving person, so maybe going for something goofy similar to their group shot was the way to go?

"Don't tell me you're nervous," Kairi said, giving him a sly grin.

"Huh? Me?" Sora chuckled nervously. "'Course not!"

Kairi giggled. He was transparent as always. "Stop overthinking. It's not a good look for you. You're cuter when you smile!"

"Yeah, you're right, I shouldn't overthink so mu—wait, what?"

Instead of repeating herself, Kairi was quick to wrap her arms around his shoulders and stood slightly on her toes so that her face was next to his. Sora was caught off-guard, but at the same time, it seemed like something she would do.

"Hurry, Haru! Take the picture!" Kairi said.

"Ha ha, okay!" Haru said, sticking out her tongue in concentration as she lined up the frame.

Sora looked over to Kairi. She felt his gaze and gave him a sweet smile. "Ready?" she asked.

"Y-Yeah," Sora said with a chuckle.

Riku folded his arms while he watched the scene unfold. He felt Amaya's eyes digging holes into the side of his neck, but he didn't acknowledge her.

Sora wasn't sure where to put his hands, but he was able to manage an embarrassed smile with his right eye closed while Kairi smiled confidently at the camera.

"Saaaay chocobo!"

Instantly after the picture was taken, Sora heard a faint cry of agony in the short distance above.

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-HA-HA-HA-HOOOEY..."

Sora looked up to find Donald and Goofy well on their way towards hitting the ground face first. Even worse, it looked like they were going to land right on top of Kairi while she didn't seem to be aware.

"Watch out, Kairi!" Sora cried as he gently shoved Kairi out of the way closer to Amaya. Sora was just about to make a run for it. "Wh-Whoa… Whoaaaa!"

But he was too late.

Donald and Goofy came crashing down right on top of his back with a hard thud just as he was about to make a run for it. The timing was impeccable and a small amount of people looked in their direction. Both Donald and Goofy's eyes were rolling as they tried to catch up with the daze they were in. When the both of them came to, they realized just who it was they had fallen on top of.

"Sora!" they said.

"Are you okay?" Kairi asked as Donald and Goofy rolled off of Sora and she and Amaya helped him to his feet.

Donald shook his headache away as he dusted off his clothes. "Yeah, don't worry about us at all..."

"I'm okay," Sora answered. Despite him saying this, Amaya put her hand to his cheeks and inspected his neck and face for bruises before Sora brushed her off. "What are you two doing here?" he asked once he realized who the culprits were.

"Gawrsh, just so happens we were just lookin' for you," Goofy answered. "Guess it was lucky we dropped in on ya, a-hyuk!"

Sora tilted his head to the side. "Why me?"

"What do you think?" Donald asked with frustration. "Because you're the cho—"

Before Donald could say any further, Goofy was quick to put a hand over his bill. That didn't stop Kairi from giving him a suspicious glance. "Uh, Donald, I think that's s'posed to be a secret," Goofy said.

"What kind of secret?" Kairi asked, turning to Sora with a face that was seemingly innocent. He couldn't help but feel like she was being more interrogative than she was letting on.

"Uhh, nothing important," Sora said with a nervous chuckle.

"Yeah, don't worry about it," Amaya added, equally anxious. Of course, this only added to Kairi's curiosity.

"This is Donald. He's a court magician of Disney Castle. And this is Goofy, the captain of the royal knights. They're... friends of mine?" Sora side-eyed Donald. "Well, kind of."

"Oh, well... it's nice to meet you," Kairi greeted.

"Likewise," Goofy said in a friendly voice. They greeted Amaya and Riku as well, both of whom they were already familiar with.

Kairi felt the gears in her head turning. A court magician and a royal knight? Despite their appearances, it would seem that they both were in high authority. But what would they be doing looking for Sora?

"Could you excuse us for a moment?" Sora asked.

Before Kairi could protest, Sora and Goofy dragged Donald to a more secure location where there were hopefully no eavesdroppers.

Kairi resisted her urge to follow them herself. What was with all of the secrecy?

Once they reached a more secluded area, Goofy let go of Donald's beak. "GET OFFA ME," the anthropomorphic duck shouted.

"Hey, could you keep it down?" Sora asked. "Try to remember that me being the..." he looked around before continuing, "...the you-know-what is supposed to be a secret."

Donald sighed. He assumed all of Sora's friends already knew. "You can't keep it secret forever."

"Yeah, I know," Sora admitted dreadfully. "I just need more time to figure things out. What are you guys doing here, anyway? Were you really looking for me?"

"Uh huh," Goofy said. "We're on orders from the king to let ya know to come to the ol' clock tower at Daybreak Town after the festival."

"Okay...?" Sora said. "How come I couldn't just get a call from someone?"

"Well, the king also told us to stick with ya since we knew you'd be at this here festival today. He thought it would be a good idea to have somebody around to look after ya startin' after this here festival."

"And keep you out of trouble," Donald added.

Sora frowned. "Wait a second, I didn't ask for anyone's protection. I can take care of myself just fine."

"As if we wanna be stuck babysitting you!" Donald argued back. "But too bad. Unlike you, we follow orders. So, get used to it."

"Hey, I do _too_ follow orders," Sora countered before crossing his arms and averting his eyes. "I just... get sidetracked sometimes."

Goofy chuckled while Donald rolled his eyes.

"This isn't fair," Sora continued. "No one even came to me to ask how _I_ feel about this."

"We're telling you now, aren't we?" Donald said.

"Garwsh, I'm sure the king woulda said somethin' to ya if he could," Goofy said. "But he's been real busy questin' the worlds. Sorry we couldn't call ya sooner, but I guess we just kinda dropped in on ya instead, a-hyuk!"

"At least we're not whining about it," Donald said, tapping his foot impatiently.

"How long is this supposed to go on for?" Sora asked.

"Until you can be trusted to take care of things yourself," Donald answered.

Sora slumped his shoulders. It just proved that the higher ups had no faith in him. He was still being treated like a kid to the point where they felt the need to give him chaperones. Sure, he ditched a few classes from time to time, but he liked to believe he learned his lesson since then, right?

"Well, I guess I don't have much of a choice," Sora said, the disappointment in his voice apparent.

"You better be ready after this festival and make sure you don't slow us down," Donald said as he made his way back Daisy and his nephews. "C'mon, Goofy."

"Hey, shouldn't I be the one saying that to you?" Sora shouted. He sighed. Goofy patted Sora on the shoulder reassuringly before he strode happily back to his friends.

Once Sora returned, Kairi, Amaya, Riku, and Haru all turned to give him their attention. Sora put on an embarrassed smile as he scratched his cheek.

"So, uh, long story short, they had to tell me something kinda important," Sora said.

While Riku and Amaya gave each other knowing looks, Kairi tilted her head curiously. "What was it?" she asked.

"It was nothing important." Sora laughed nervously.

Kairi furrowed her eyebrows. "But you just said—"

"Okay, let's get moving!" Sora was quick to say. "There's still a ton of stuff we haven't tried out yet. I still need to beat Riku's high score in Blaster Blaze."

"It's good to have dreams, even if they won't come true," Riku teased.

While the rest of them followed Sora and Riku, Kairi paused momentarily before catching up.

* * *

Axel walked through the backstage halls with a twinkle in his eyes. He loved seeing all of the behind the scenes machinations that, while seemingly independent of each other, worked together as a harmonious unit to bring the stage to life. When Yuna Toriyama called and asked him to come visit her backstage with a proposition for him, he jumped at the opportunity. If he and his bandmates were lucky, she might offer them a chance to open up for them.

"All right, guys," Axel said alongside his bandmates, Saïx and Larxene, as they stopped before the room Yuna told him to come to. He slicked his hair back. "Whatever this is all about, you just let me do the talkin'. Time to turn the charm on."

Larxene crossed her arms. "And just what the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?"

Axel snaked a reassuring arm around his girlfriend. "Come on, babe, you know I only got eyes for you."

"Yeah? Tell that to the bimbo whose legs those same eyes were locked on outside the theater a few hours ago," Larxene bit back with a vengeance.

"C-Come on! Lookin' is free, right?" Axel countered.

"That aside, I wouldn't say you have a way with words, Axel," Saïx said.

"Have a little little faith in me, Sai. I'm a regular wordsmith. I got this," Axel said with a grin. He patted him on the back. "And if I don't, that's why you're here!"

Saïx rolled his eyes. "Flattered."

"And what about me?" Larxene asked, tapping her foot.

Axel scoffed as he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her in closer. "Isn't it obvious? To make sure I don't hafta worry about any asshats hittin' on you while I'm not around to give 'em a black eye."

Larxene gave a smirk. "That's the right answer."

Saïx cleared his throat, quick to change the topic before he became the third wheel he never wanted to be. "I would implore that you two focus on the task at hand."

"Naturally," Axel said with unwavering confidence. He knocked on the door and received an answer from a tall man with a shaved head and sunglasses to go with his blue suit and black tie. "Hey, big guy, we're friends of Yuna. She went to our school and shit. Mind moving to the side?"

The man, presumably Yuna's bodyguard, merely lifted an eyebrow.

Saïx groaned. "Yes, quite the wordsmith, indeed."

"It's okay, Rude," Yuna spoke up from behind. Rude moved out of the way to reveal Yuna sitting in a chair with Rikku and Paine by her side. "They're friends of mine."

Axel gave Rude a cocky sneer as he and his friends made their way inside. "Step aside, baldy."

It was only after Axel stopped taunting Rude when he noticed Yuna's ankle being bandaged up by a nurse.

"Hey, what happened, kiddo?" Axel asked.

"Dress rehearsal," Paine answered on Yuna's behalf. "She ended up twisting her ankle."

"Yeah, and the doc says Yunny can't perform tonight," Rikku added with a pout. "Our set has a lot of choreography that could potentially damage her ankle even more than it already is."

"Aw, man," Axel said, crossing his arms. "That's a real bummer. Sorry to hear that, kid."

"You have our condolences," Saïx said.

"Walk it off," Larxene deadpanned, earning her a scowl from Saïx.

"Pleasant as always," Paine grumbled under her breath loud enough for only Yuna and Rikku to hear.

"A-Anyways," Yuna stuttered, not wanting any drama to start in her room.

"So, what're you gonna do?" Axel asked.

Yuna and her friends exchanged a few looks before returning their attention to Axel. "Well, I supposed that brings us to why I called you here," Yuna said. "I'm sorry this is on such short notice, but I know you and the Melodious Nocturnes have been making a name for yourselves. Do you think it would be possible for you to take over for us?"

While Larxene gasped and Saïx furrowed his eyebrows with confusion, Axel's grew wide as saucers before a big grin spread across his face.

* * *

Roxas was sure he was getting the cold shoulder.

After he, Xion, and Naminé went their separate ways from Sora, Haru, and Kairi so that the latter three could ride the "Pirate Ship" (seeing as to how Xion refused to get on any more rides for the day), the trio decided to grab some ice cream. Roxas and Xion were walking a few steps ahead of Naminé, who seemed content to wander behind them with her arms tied behind her back as her eyes explored the scenery.

Roxas had a hard time paying attention to whatever Xion seemed to be talking about when he noticed how Naminé seemed much less enthusiastic than before. Ever since their encounter with Seifer, while she maintained her pleasant and polite demeanor, he couldn't shake the fact that she seemed to be keeping her distance and would only respond with one-word or short answers when addressed. Was he crazy or was she actively withdrawing from the conversation?

In the middle of her babbling, Xion noticed Roxas's state of inattentiveness, his eyes darting back to Naminé every so often. She decided to switch up her topic mid-sentence to throw him for a loop.

"...and that's when we had a pretty hot makeout session in your bedroom. I hope you don't mind the white stains on your sheets when he had to—"

"Wait, what?" Roxas asked incredulously when Xion's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Got your attention?" Xion asked, her frustrated eyes betraying the lopsided grin on her lips. "Geez. Of course I'd need to say something like _that_ to get you to listen to me."

"Sorry, I just thought you had a secret boyfriend I didn't know about for a second there and didn't want to pop a blood vessel."

Xion gave him a sly look. "What, would that bother you?"

"Maybe a little," Roxas said, his look equally sly.

Xion cleared her throat and turned her head the other way to make sure he didn't notice her flushed cheeks before returning to look at him with a toothy grin, resting her elbow against his shoulder. "Well, don't worry. I'm saving myself for marriage, after all."

"As long as I approve of the groom."

"As long as you don't get _jealous_ of the groom." Xion teasingly poked on him on the chest. As she did this, she spared a halfway glance back at Naminé to see if she was paying attention.

Sure enough, she was. Naminé seemed to overhear their banter and her eyes dashed back and forth between them like a tennis ball. When she caught wind of Xion's glance, she made herself look inconspicuous as she set her eyes on the ground.

Xion could hardly believe it. Was Naminé jealous? She grinned, almost nefariously as if she were a mustache-twirling villainess, before she returned to a innocuously friendly smile when she returned her attention to Roxas. She felt like she just stood her ground against Naminé without having to be confrontational about it. It also gave weight to her suspicions of Naminé; she was certain she harbored at least _some_ feelings for Roxas at this point. But Xion had the upper hand that she and Roxas had known each other for years and their flirtatious banter was nothing new or out of the ordinary. That was something she could confidently say that Naminé and Roxas didn't have.

All three of them stopped when Roxas got a call on his gummi phone. "Hang on a minute, I think I should take this," Roxas said, before answering. "Noct?"

"Roxas," Noctis said on the other end. "Heard you signed up for the struggle tournament."

"You did?"

"Well, it's not like half of the festival isn't buzzing about it," Noctis said tiredly. "Gonna take a wild guess and say that means you ended up coming to the festival, after all."

"That wild guess would be correct. So, what's up?" Roxas asked as he began walking, the girls following him as he did.

"Remember when I told you we need to talk? I think this would be a pretty good time to do it while we're in the same place."

"And ruin a perfectly good afternoon?" Roxas said dreadfully. He sighed. "Fine, I guess. Where are you?"

"I'm—"

"Oof!" Roxas said as his shoulder bumped into the shoulder of another, both of them dropping their gummi phones in the process. He was just about to apologize to the stranger before he recognized that spiky black mane. He seemed to be accompanied by his three companions, Ignis, Prompto, and Gladiolus. "So, you can teleport too?"

"Actually, yeah," Noctis answered nonchalantly. Roxas noticed Noctis had some sort of folder in his hands.

"Yo, Roxas!" Prompto greeted. "Good luck in the struggle tourney tomorrow, my dude."

"Thanks, Prompto."

"What I _didn't_ realize was that you were holdin' out on us in the babe department." He eyed Naminé and Xion as he said this, giving them suggestive looks. When Roxas realized, he stepped in front of them.

"Anyway," Roxas said, returning his attention to Noctis. "You wanted to talk?"

"Sure," Noctis said as he picked up both of their gummi phones, handing one to Roxas. "Might be a good idea to find somewhere private."

Roxas raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "Lead the way." He looked back to the girls. "You guys mind waiting here for a second?"

Xion crossed her arms and cocked her hip to the side. "What's with the secrecy? Don't trust us?"

"Trust me, it's better this way," Noctis interjected.

Roxas shrugged. Naminé and Xion both wordlessly decided to do as told and stayed behind.

"It'll be real quick, I promise," Roxas said.

As Noctis led Roxas to a more isolated area (which was admittedly difficult due to the bustle of the crowd), he signaled his entourage to follow them and act as lookouts for paparazzi and fans wanting a picture or autograph from either one of them.

"You guys go on ahead," Prompto said as he was about to stride towards Xion and Naminé, but his plans were foiled when the composed and collected Ignis pinched him by the ear and dragged him along with the rest of them. "Aww, Iggy! C'mon, man."

Xion and Naminé watched in amusement as he was dragged away by Ignis before the air between them shifted drastically. They both didn't spare each other so much as a glance, they just stood there as if the other didn't exist—Xion with her arms crossed and Naminé hugging her arm with stiff shoulders. The only audible noises between them were Xion clearing her throat and the bottom of Naminé's shoes lightly scraping against the dirt road.

After finally finding a secluded area near a railing that separated the beach from the festival, Noctis leaned his forearms against the railing, letting the wind play with his hair. The others kept their distance and were only there to act as lookouts for paparazzi or fans that would surely ask the prince of Lucis and the son of Cloud Strife for an autograph or picture. Roxas leaned against the railing along with him, giving Noctis a curious look.

"So, what's the big deal?" Roxas asked. "Don't tell me you're just gonna spit emo poetry on me."

Noctis scoffed. "Sorry, it's just hard not to get entranced by this place sometimes."

Roxas looked out to the ocean. "Guess I'm just desensitized."

"Well, everyone wants new scenery eventually. But with what I'm about to show you, maybe you'll appreciate this place a little more," Noctis said cryptically.

"Seriously, _what_ are you talking about?"

Noctis hesitated, as if he were worried with how Roxas would take the news, but decided he didn't want to waste his time either. Noctis showed Roxas the folder he had been holding the whole time and handed it to him. "When I heard you were here, I had my people pick this up for me. You should take a look at it."

Roxas pushed himself away from the railing and raised an eyebrow before taking the folder. When he opened it, the first page he read had to do with Shinra. "What is this?"

Noctis didn't answer. Instead, allowed Roxas to scan and skim through the documents at his own pace. As he expected, Roxas's gaze grew more curious and intense the more he flipped through the pages. His eyebrows furrowed as his eyes scanned the contents faster with each passing second.

"While looking for a cure for the growing crisis of geostigma, Shinra went through the process of... illegal human experimentation on victims of geostigma?" Roxas read carefully. "Led by Professor Hojo, over five hundred victims died during the experiments premature of their life expectancy."

"These experiments were top secret, only known by the most elite in the company," Noctis clarified. "Anyone who wasn't supposed to find out about them were silenced—forever, by Sephiroth. Seems like he was a mercenary for them at the time."

"Sephiroth?" Roxas asked. "But I thought—"

"He betrayed them," Noctis said, answering the question he knew Roxas would ask. He pointed to the folder. "It's all in there. The last page... is the one you might wanna brace yourself for."

Roxas paused for a moment, unsure if he wanted to proceed judging by the look Noctis was giving him, but he decided to push through. He learned many things about Shinra he never knew but wasn't entirely surprised by. There were already plenty of rumors of their shady underground practices. He finally reached the last page where it displayed a list of all the victims with their pictures next to them. Most names he didn't recognize until his eyes landed on one in particular that caught his attention.

Aerith Gainsborough.

"Mom?"

Noctis sighed. "Yeah. I heard about it from my dad. She was your real mom, right?" Roxas didn't answer his question. "Sorry."

Roxas was able to maintain his composure. "It's okay," he was finally able to say in response to Noctis.

Noctis lifted an eyebrow. "You're taking this better than I expected."

Roxas rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "Well, I dunno if this sounds a little cold but... I _want_ to be angry, I really do, but it's hard to see her as anything but a stranger, even if she is my mother."

"Nah, I get that," Noctis said, shaking his head.

"But still, this _is_ my mother and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little curious to have gotten to know more about her." His grip tightened around the folder. "And to know that I was robbed of that not by bad luck but by some jackasses in a greedy corporation does kinda get under my skin."

"If I had to guess, Aerith being experimented on is probably what led to Zack and your old man leaving the company," Noctis theorized. "The original idea must've been to send Sephiroth after them, but he turned his back on Shinra too and became an even bigger threat."

Roxas studied Noctis cautiously. "Where did you even get this?"

Noctis shrugged. "All I can say is that this was all recorded by a man who used to work very closely with the people of Shinra. He's embarrassed to ever have been associated with them and would love nothing more than to shut the entire operation down, but he's been blackmailed by them to keep his mouth shut or else... and not a lot of people seem to get that kind of luxury," Noctis answered, checking out their surroundings to make sure there wasn't anyone else listening. "He saw the both of us talking to Rufus back during the dinner party and asked me to hand this to you later that night behind closed doors. He asked to remain anonymous."

Did that mean this person was someone who attended the dinner party? Roxas felt like he just entered a secret agent conspiracy thriller. "Not that I don't appreciate this, Noct, but what exactly am I supposed to do with this information? Is this the part where you tell me your name is Agent K and you've come to recruit me?"

"I just thought you'd want to know," Noctis said. "Shinra is gonna keep coming after you and each offer is probably gonna sound even sweeter than the last. But now you know who they really are." He narrowed his eyes. "Don't let it happen."

Roxas nodded. "Thanks for looking out for me, Noct. Seriously, it means a lot."

Noctis yawned as he stretched his limbs. "Don't sweat it. Just make sure you don't let anyone else see those files. Put them in a safe place when you get home."

Roxas gave a mock salute. "Aye-aye, captain. I'll see you around."

After Noctis gave him a lazy wave as he left with his entourage, Roxas stared at the folder with a myriad of questions whirling around in his mind, before tucking it under the pit of his arm and walking back to his friends with a mixed expression lingering on his face.

Meanwhile, Naminé and Xion seemed to be in the same predicament they were in earlier—not a word uttered between them. Xion was fanning herself to alleviate some of the atrocious heat while Naminé silently cursed to herself for not having brought her sketchbook today.

"So, uh..." Xion said, clearing her throat. "How have you been liking the Destiny Islands weather?"

Naminé blinked. "O-O-Oh, um... it's... it's nice."

"Yeah..."

Neither could find a way to push the conversation forward, but thankfully Roxas returned in the nick of time to save them from their awkward exchange.

"Did I miss anything?" Roxas asked.

"Yeah, you just missed the discovery of extraterrestrial life forms and the zombie apocalypse in the matter of the past five minutes," Xion said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Roxas smirked. "Clearly."

"So, what was that all about?" Xion asked. "What's with the folder?"

Roxas's casual demeanor shifted into something downtrodden before he began walking off. "It's complicated. A story for another day."

"You know I'm just gonna bug you about it later, right?" Xion said as she hurried next to his side.

"I'd be worried you really _did_ get replaced by an alien if you didn't."

Just like before, Naminé kept her distance as she trailed behind them both, her thoughts safe and secure in the trappings of her own mind. It was back to square one and Roxas wished he knew how to change that.

Xion looked towards the sky and noticed the bright blues had slowly been fluctuating into soft purples and oranges. It seemed the evening was beginning to settle in. "So, where to now?" she asked.

He was moments from answering before his gummi phone rang again. He decided to pick up once he saw the caller I.D flash Axel's name.

"Yeah?" Roxas greeted.

"What are you doin' right now?"

"Well, we were just about to—"

"Yeah, that's awesome. Anyways! You gotta come to the Yuna Toriyama concert tonight! Drop your plans, okay?"

"Uh, sure. But why?"

"Legendary stuff, man! Legendary. Be sure to have your camera ready!"

Before Roxas could ask anymore questions, Axel hung up. Roxas shook his head, feeling that he would never be able to understand his eccentric best friend.

"Lea?" Xion asked.

"Lea," Roxas confirmed.

"Figures," Xion said, scoffing. "Should I be afraid to ask what he wanted?"

"Surprisingly, no," Roxas answered. "But it looks like we've been summoned to a most luxurious Yuna Toriyama concert."

"Weren't we gonna go to that anyways?"

Roxas shrugged. "Well, apparently legendary stuff is in store for us now."

"Hm." Xion crossed her arms. "That moron better not be up to anything."

Through his peripheral view, Roxas studied the quiet and reserved Naminé. As much as he wanted to talk to her and sort out whatever it was he did to upset her, he would have preferred to do it when it was just the two of them. Though, he wasn't quite sure why he wanted it to be private. He would have called Xion out in front of their entire group of friends if she ever did the same thing. Maybe it was because he knew Naminé wouldn't appreciate being put on the spot in the same manner.

Roxas stopped walking, making the others stop as well as he turned halfway to get a better look at Naminé. She looked up at him with parted lips.

"Y-Yes?" she asked.

"You've been acting a little quiet, even more than usual," Roxas said with a humorless chuckle. "Not sure if a concert will really be your thing, so if you're tired it's okay if you want to go home."

Naminé looked back and forth between him and Xion. "Oh, um, is it that you want me to go home? It's completely fine if you do."

"W-What?" Roxas stammered. "No, of course not. I was just, uh... I mean, if you want to come that'd be awesome, too."

Normally, the last thing of interest to Naminé would be attending a loud, overbearing concert of all things. However, the situation she was in didn't exactly qualify as normal. "No, I'm fine. I can tag along."

Xion's eyes widened. Was she crazy or did Naminé spare her the briefest of glances when she said that? She was able to maintain a friendly-looking appearance, but if she could have had her way, Xion would have sent an icy glare the blonde's way.

On the other hand, Roxas smiled. He was just relieved Naminé didn't seem to hate him enough to not hang out with him anymore. "Great."

"Yeah, totally," Xion mumbled.

"Welp, we better get a move on," Roxas said, taking the lead as usual while the others followed him. Though they notably kept a healthy distance from the other.

Naminé wasn't sure how to feel. On one hand, she didn't really have any interest in going and she was starting to wish she had stayed home for the day. But she couldn't say she was comfortable leaving Roxas alone with Xion either. She couldn't decipher how Xion felt about Roxas, but she did know she wasn't comfortable with their overly flirtatious behavior.

Despite this, she decided she would power through.

* * *

Dusk had settled when practically everyone in attendance gathered together outdoors in front of a large stage, theatrical in its size, equipped with lights, microphones, and oversized amps. Despite the amount of people in attendance, there was still just enough space for people to dance due to a lack of chairs.

Among those surplus amount of attendees were Sora, Riku, Kairi, Haru, and Amaya. While waiting for the show to start, Sora was endlessly amused watching a restless Kairi practically jump up and down.

"Ohmigosh! Ohmigosh! Ohmigosh!" Kairi squealed. "I have been waiting for this moment for my _entire_ life! I'm so excited! Aren't you guys excited?!"

" _I'm_ excited!" Haru said, jumping up and down right next to Kairi.

"That's because you're a woman of culture, Haru!" Kairi said as she picked up Haru and spun her in the air, sending Haru into a frenzy of giggles. "The rest of you could learn something from her! Why aren't you excited?!"

Sora chuckled while Riku maintained an amused grin while shaking his head. "Well, we kinda go to school with her," Sora reminded her. "We've known her way before she was ever famous. But it's still fun to see how successful she's gotten."

"We're also not fourteen-year-old tweens," Riku added. "No offense."

Kairi gasped at the jab while covering Haru's ears protectively, as if Riku had said something taboo. "You take that back!"

Amaya rolled her eyes. "Ignore him. I'm actually pretty pumped myself! Though, I will admit I haven't heard _too_ much of her music, but I do love her song, '1,000 Words,' quite a bit."

"Oh my god, I _love_ that song! Like, how does she come up with such relatable lyrics?" Kairi shrieked. She pointed at Sora and Riku accusingly. "You two, on the other hand, need better taste."

"Yeah, yeah! Better taste!" Haru repeated, mimicking Kairi's stance.

"We're dudes," Riku deadpanned.

Sora raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of dudes, has anyone seen Axel and Roxas?"

"Now that you mention it..." Kairi trailed off, scouting the crowd in search of her sister and Xion. "I hope they made it on time."

As if on cue, Sora's phone rang. He fished it out from his back pocket and noticed Roxas's name was on the caller I.D. "Huh. Guess his ears were burning."

Amaya folded her arms disapprovingly. "Oh, so _now_ you turn your phone on?"

Sora groaned. "Gimme a break, okay?" Amaya rolled her eyes as Sora answered his phone. "Hey, we were just wondering where you guys were."

"Look about twenty feet to your... uh, back."

Sora turned around to find Roxas waving at him from a few rows back. Sure enough, he had Naminé and Xion with him, the former only offering a shy smile while the latter waved right alongside Roxas.

"It's about time!" Sora teased, putting Roxas on speaker for the others to hear. When Kairi and the others noticed Roxas, Kairi was quick to huddle up next to Sora and speak loudly into his gummi phone.

"Hey, Rox!"

Roxas chuckled. "Hey, Kai. I had a feeling you'd be pretty excited for this one."

"Aww, you know me so well," Kairi said. "You better be taking good care of my sister, you hear?"

A few rows back, Roxas detached his ear from his phone and spared a brief glance at Naminé. She still seemed to be in her own world. "Uh, I'll... get back to you that one."

"Axel isn't with you?" Sora asked.

"No, I was actually calling to see if he was with you, but now I can see that he isn't. But he told me to be here. Get this: we're in for something _legendary._ "

Sora and Kairi spared a mutual look of concern. Axel's definition of 'legendary' could quite possibly have been disastrous for the rest of them. "Should we be worried?" Sora asked.

"I was hoping you'd tell me," Roxas said regretfully. "He called me later saying to make sure I have my camera ready, though."

Amaya sighed. "Please don't tell me that idiot is going to get himself into more trouble. Is he planning to sneak on stage and moon the audience or something?"

Riku pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's actually amazing how I wouldn't put that past him."

Before the conversation could continue, the lights dimmed, sending the crowd into a roaring frenzy. Patience had been wearing thin and it seemed like the show was finally getting started. Kairi practically dropped the conversation entirely and screamed her lungs out along with everyone else.

The excitement in the air dwindled a bit when a promoter in a suit and tie entered the stage, looking a bit nervous with the news he knew he had to deliver. The crowd practically dropped silent when their beloved Yuna Toriyama wasn't anywhere in sight. He tapped the microphone that stood before him. "Um, hello? Is this thing on?"

Nothing was heard except for a few crickets and a distant cough. The man felt their expectant eyes locked onto him and he chuckled nervously as he tugged the collar of his shirt.

"Um, ladies and gentlemen, I am here to regretfully inform you all that Yuna Toriyama has injured her ankle and she, as well as her fellow Gullwings, will be unable to perform tonight."

After a pause of awkward silence, the boos and hisses came in thresholds. The promoter winced but would be lying if he said he was surprised by the reaction. Amid the crowd, while all of them expressed some form of concern, Kairi was clearly the most affected by the news as she felt her heart shatter into shards of despair and anguish she had never been privy to before.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" she cried, raising her arms dramatically and trapping Amaya into a hug as she cried into her shoulders.

Amaya was caught a little off-guard but she returned the hug while patting her friend on the back of her head. "There, there..."

"Y-Yes, I understand how you all must feel," he continued. "However! We do have another act to put on a show for you all."

The crowd perked up to that information.

"They were appointed by Ms. Toriyama herself and are close friends of hers. They've been making a name for themselves after their last independently produced sophomore EP, 'Savage Nymphs,' as well as touring across multiple worlds, lighting up local venues and clubs. So please, without further adieu, give a warm welcome to the Melodious Noctuuuuurnes!"

"Wait, what?" Kairi said as she detached herself from Amaya as her ears perked up at the sound of that band name, her crocodile tears dried in an instant. Not only Kairi, but all of whom were associated with the members of that band were caught by surprise at the sound of that name.

"Did he seriously...?" Riku trailed off.

Roxas exchanged an incredulous look with Xion and he quickly understood what Axel meant about making sure to have his camera ready. He quickly pulled it out and started recording.

Indeed, their suspicions were confirmed as the promoter scurried offstage and the shadows of five painfully familiar silhouettes gradually elevated from underneath the stage, each in their own dramatic pose. When the lights turned on, they saw Axel wearing his signature smirk brimming with overconfidence as he held his electric guitar, Demyx situated on the left side of the stage with his sitar in hand, Saïx standing in contemplation behind his keyboard, the stoic and stern-looking Lexaeus with his eyes shut as he sat behind his drum set, and Larxene in the middle of them all as she claimed the microphone as her own.

The group of friends practically all had their jaws dropped. "No way..." Sora said.

"You guys ready to party?!" Larxene asked into the mic.

The crowd response was an underwhelming one. There was a light shrill of agreement but there wasn't as much enthusiasm in the air as Axel was hoping for. Those who happened to be friends of the members of the Melodious Nocturnes were a bit uncomfortable with the lack of enthusiasm as well.

Larxene noticeably shrunk a little at the lack of response and cleared her throat. "W-Well, strap your seatbelts in because we're gonna take y'all for a ride!"

"Woo hoo!" Kairi cheered. Despite her own disappointment at being unable to watch Yuna live, she would do her best to support her friends. However, it seemed her spirit was far from contagious as her voice practically echoed. Roxas was a bit unsure if he should have kept recording with his gummi phone.

Larxene anxiously chewed her bottom lip, looking back at Axel with eyes asking if she should continue. Axel simply nodded to her with resolve in his eyes, as if he were trying to assure her they were fine. Larxene returned the look and set her eyes back on the crowd.

"Hit it!"

Lexaeus kicked it off with the beat and the rest of the band fell in line with their own instruments. The song gave off the impression of a hard rock song with a bit of pop infused into it. Larxene began wildly shaking her head and grapsed the mic once again, singing into it with a strong but wavering voice. It was extremely subtle, and most might not have noticed it, but Axel could tell that his girlfriend's confidence seemed to have been shot at the lackluster response at their arrival.

And who could blame them? The fact of the matter was that they were all expecting Yuna Toriyama, one of the top pop stars in the music industry who was famous across countless globes. It didn't compare to a relatively unknown local band like the Melodious Nocturnes that were just beginning to form a bit of steam, and considering a good portion of the attendants to the Destiny Islands Guardian Festival had traveled from many different worlds, they were likely unfamiliar with their brand or never heard of them entirely.

The notable members in the crowd cringed. Not because the music was bad, but because of the severe lack of movement in the crowd. No one seemed to be excited or were dancing at all. At most, there were a few head bops and toe tappers.

"This isn't looking too good," Xion said only loud enough for Roxas to hear. Roxas only regretfully mummed in agreement.

Even Naminé felt sorry for them. Awkward situations were a recipe for anxiety for her, even if she wasn't at the forefront of the attention. She desperately hoped things would turn around for them at some point, but it never came. A full minute into the song and one might have thought the crowd were watching a broadway show and were merely exuding the proper etiquette. But it was certainly not the expected etiquette for a live rock performance.

Sora and his bunch overheard a few opinions of the nameless faces surrounding them.

"How long is this song gonna go on for?"

"Aww, this is kind of a bummer. I was really excited to see Yuna in the flesh."

"I mean, I've heard worse and all, but..."

Eventually, a number of people started to leave the area with their friends or significant others who were hoping to watch their idol perform. This left a cause for concern. As the crowd began thinning out, Roxas, Naminé, and Xion had just enough room to catch up to the rest of them.

Kairi turned around to her friends. "Guys, shouldn't we do something?"

Haru nodded vigorously. "Yeah, yeah!"

Riku set a hand on his hip. "What exactly are we supposed to do? Glue their feet to the ground?"

"Well, we have to think of something!" Kairi countered.

Roxas turned around to face Naminé and Xion. "Any ideas?" he asked them both.

Naminé put a thumb to her chin while Xion crossed her arms and tapped her foot, both trying to come up with something. Anything. But it seemed as if everyone's minds went blank.

"Look, I hate to be the Debbie Downer here," said Riku, "but it's not like we can just make them change their minds."

"Hmmmm," Sora hummed. "Maybe we don't have to!"

Before anyone could ask what he meant, Sora galloped onto the scene and performed a few spins, leaving his friends baffled.

"Um, I'm sorry, what exactly is the plan here?" Xion asked, breaking the silence among them.

However, Sora seemed to be in his own world and continued dancing to the rhythm of the beat. To the surprise of Kairi, he was actually a really good dancer. Haru was quick to join in on the fun, though her brand of dancing seemed to be more along the lines of jumping up and down erratically.

Eventually, heads began to turn and a lot of people who were leaving stopped to look at Sora. Kairi noticed some people seemed to approve and began cheering him on. It was then when Kairi understood what Sora was doing. The more attention Sora received, the more people started coming back to watch him, and slowly but surely others began joining in on the fun.

"C'mon, don't just stand there, you guys!" Sora said. "Join in!"

Kairi couldn't stop herself from smiling even if she wanted to. To see someone be themselves so unapologetically was refreshing, and clearly, she wasn't alone in finding it attractive as more and more people began coming back. Kairi was quick to rush over to Sora and join him, dancing with Sora in what seemed like complete sync.

Riku's jaw dropped. It seemed like such a simple-minded and naive plan. All they had to do was dance to get others to enjoy themselves? He also wasn't a huge fan of the way Sora took Kairi by the hand and twirled her around with his usual goofy grin on his face, the redhead herself laughing all the while.

Back on the stage, Larxene didn't stop singing as she squinted to see what was going on out in the crowd. From her perspective, it looked as if they were about to disperse before something caught their attention and a lot of people formed a small crowd around it. The next thing she knew, a small portion of the crowd began dancing and a majority of people stopped leaving and returned to see what the fuss was about. Larxene wasn't sure what was happening, and judging by the looks on the faces of her bandmates, neither did they. But what she did know was that it gave her the drive to put more of her usual passion into her voice.

That ended up being the catalyst in changing the atmosphere. Once Larxene began singing with confidence, the crowd lost themselves in the music. The difference was night and day.

Naminé was left with mixed feelings. While she was happy to see people starting to enjoy themselves and warm up to the song, she only hoped that no one was expecting _her_ to start busting moves. Dancing alone with Roxas in the privacy of her kitchen was one thing, especially considering how terrible she was, but dancing in the middle of a bunch of strangers was something Naminé hadn't the courage to do quite yet.

Xion, on the other hand, relished in the shift in the air and began moving to the rhythm of the music. She was definitely no slouch in the dance department and could hold her own against even Sora and Kairi. Naminé furrowed her brows. Now she could dance, too? In Naminé's humble opinion, she thought Xion's dancing could have afforded to be a tad more modest. She wondered if Roxas noticed the way Xion swayed her hips almost provocatively the way she did. Either way, she did not approve.

Xion sent Roxas a cheeky grin. "You just gonna stand there?" she challenged.

Roxas chuckled while motioning to his gummi phone that he was still using to record. "Can't you see I'm trying to win an Oscar here?"

Xion rolled her eyes but kept a smile as she tugged at his free hand and dragged him closer to her. "Multitask!"

It didn't seem to take Roxas much convincing and he began dancing along with Xion. While he wasn't as good as Xion, he had the bare minimum of rhythm to earn him a pass. All the while, he was able to keep his phone focused on the Melodious Nocturnes.

Suddenly, Naminé felt like she was alone—abandoned in a sea of extroverts while she meekly stood by herself with stiffened shoulders, feeling as though she somehow didn't belong. Deep down, it hurt her to see Roxas dancing with Xion like that. Perhaps she was being selfish, but she had hoped that would have been _their_ thing. An inside joke between just the two of them and that made it special. Yet here he was, dancing with another girl while Naminé was probably the last thing on his mind.

Naminé wordlessly excused herself and gently pushed her way through the now bustling crowd, desperately trying to find a safe spot where she didn't feel like her personal space was being violated at all times.

Roxas was laughing as he turned around, and for whatever reason, he fully expected to spot Naminé giggling to herself as she watched from a short distance, and he would surely coax her into joining them in an attempt to let her hair down a bit. She would inevitably resist, of course, her shyness still needing a few barriers to be broken down, but with a little persuasion, he would find a way for her to have fun.

But she was gone.

"Naminé?"

Xion stopped dancing once she noticed Roxas's mind was elsewhere. She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. "You okay?"

"Oh, uh, yeah," Roxas answered. "But I think I should look for Naminé and make sure she's all right. Do you mind holding this for me and keep recording?"

Without waiting for a response, Roxas handed her his phone. "Uhhh—"

"Awesome!" Roxas cut off as he started pushing his way through the crowd. "Thanks, Xi! You rock!"

Xion blinked. What the _hell_ just happened? He was right there in the palm of her hand, completely entranced, and with a snap of a finger it all goes to smoke. It was only then that she realized Naminé really was gone and put two and two together. With a grumpy pout, Xion assumed her new role and continued filming the performance. "Good to know," she mumbled bitterly to herself.

Riku stood in the midst of the crowd with his arms crossed and simply watched the performance in a very stoic manner. To say that he was a bit miffed was an understatement. While he was glad to see the Melodious Nocturnes bask in the glory and see people enjoying themselves, _that_ was all it took? He couldn't claim to comprehend.

The only thing that made it worse was having to bear witness to Sora and Kairi smiling and laughing with each other like two giddy schoolgirls, their moment only interrupted by Haru coming between them. Neither minded and Sora was happy to hike Haru up onto his shoulders to get a better look at the performance.

Riku scoffed. "Nothing like a little bandwagoning to get people invested, huh?" When he received no response, he looked over to find a cheerful-looking Amaya dancing to the music. When he stopped his eyes from trailing to areas that would have led to... inappropriate thoughts, he was able to look at her with disgust instead. "Wow. And here I am thinking you were better than this."

"Oh, please. It's just some harmless dancing. Why are you being so moody? You should really try to lighten up every once and awhile, Riku. And that's coming from _me._ "

"Are you kidding? This is the definition of 'following the crowd.' Not sure if I want to be a part of it."

"I admit it's a little superficial," Amaya admitted with a chortle. "But hey, sometimes people need a bit of a push and if you have someone willing to take the lead, they'll be more comfortable. Sora has always been like that. He seems to have a way of touching people and bringing them together."

Riku narrowed his eyes at the words and carefully studied Sora and Kairi a short distance ahead. He hated hearing her say that, mostly because she was right. Sora always seemed to find a way to touch people in a way Riku always struggled with.

Amaya gave him a pointed stare. "Don't tell me you're jealous."

Riku raised an eyebrow. "Do I look jealous to you?"

Amaya raised her finger in a matter-of-fact kind of way. "Well—"

"Don't answer that."

Amaya gave him a coy smirk. "It's either that or someone is still a little shy about their dance moves."

"Tch. _No._ "

Amaya giggled and settled into a sigh. "You never change, do you?"

"Funny, I was just about to tell you the same thing."

The performance finally ended with a loud strike of a guitar chord from Axel and the crowd roared with praise and adulation. It was a complete turnaround for the Melodious Nocturnes and the bandmates gave each other looks of pride and accomplishment. Even Larxene looked uncharacteristically happy and sent Axel a look, though he only returned a cocky grin as if he expected nothing less.

"That was just the beginning, people!" Larxene said into the microphone. "Are we ready to rock all night?!"

This time, the crowd responded with cheers, hoops, and hollars.

* * *

Roxas ran through the much more barren roads of the Guardian Festival. It was a lot easier to navigate considering most had either gone home or was at the concert, leaving only a few stragglers out in the main area. Roxas panted as his eyes scanned every which way in search of his bespectacled blonde friend while hoping she didn't get herself lost or into any trouble. He felt himself well with slight panic before he finally caught sight of her.

Under the light of a streetlamp, she sat on a bench with her posture straight and her hands folded in her lap. Relief washed over Roxas as he slowly settled back into walking speed. Though, considering this was the first time he and Naminé would be alone all day, he wasn't sure how this was going to go.

Naminé seemed to be distracted by something to her left before his voice cut through to her.

"Hey."

Naminé looked over, slightly surprised, and found Roxas giving a cautious smile.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Y... Yes?"

"Very convincing performance."

"Why, thank you. I spent all morning practicing that one."

Roxas gave a slight grin before sobering up and clearing his throat. "Is it cool if I sit here?"

Naminé found the will to smile softly and gestured to the open spot next to her. "It's not like you had to ask."

"Well, there's a few reasons why I did," Roxas said as he took a seat on the opposite end of the bench. "For starters, you ditching us just now without letting us know where you were going."

She gave a pouty face. "I'm sorry if I worried you. I didn't plan to go far, it's just that the concert environment is not really my scene."

"Then why'd you come along?"

Naminé opened her mouth to answer before realizing what the answer truly was and it had to do with a certain raven with short hair. "I don't know."

A moment of silence passed between the two before Roxas decided to break it. "Look, I uh... I can't shake the feeling you've been mad at me all afternoon. If I did something to bother you or if you're not having fun anymore—"

"No, that's not it," she swiftly denied. Sitting by herself had given her time to think. True, she was upset at the fact that Roxas seemed so adamant to convince Seifer they weren't together when there seemed to be no good reason for it. It felt like an indirect rejection only magnified by Roxas's sudden aloofness to her ever since they first came to the festival and his closeness with Xion. But she supposed there was no point in being upset over something that was an indisputable fact. While she may have felt there was the possibility of some sort of spark between them, she and Roxas _weren't_ together and perhaps it was unfair of her to set those expectations on him. Besides, she said it herself that she didn't want to cause a rift between Roxas and his friends, so what else was she expecting?

Still, she felt the need to distance herself from him if only to preserve her feelings. The last thing she needed was to suffer through another heartache after what went down with Tidus and she felt like she needed to guard herself. Maybe she was moving into things quicker than necessary.

"Then what's with the cold shoulder today?" Roxas asked, breaking her from her inner monologue.

Naminé wanted to say that she could ask him the very same thing, but she held her tongue. "I guess I was just confused about a few things."

"Confused?"

She gave an embarrassed smile and waved him off. "It's nothing."

"It's always 'nothing,' isn't it?"

She frowned. "Like you're one to talk."

Roxas chuckled nervously. "Got me there, I guess." He sighed. He wanted to keep pressing her but decided to leave it as it was. "I just want you to know that it's okay if you haven't been feeling this festival. If you're not enjoying yourself anymore, it's okay. I don't want you to force yourself."

She shook her head. "I'm not. Honestly, this is probably the most fun I've had in a really, _really_ long time."

Roxas smiled. "Is that right?"

She returned the smile with a nod. "I think I just need to keep my distance from the loud music, is all."

"No, no, yeah. I can respect that." Roxas rubbed the back of his head. "So, uh... does this mean you'll be coming tomorrow too?"

"There's no way I'm going to miss seeing what you've got in the struggle tournament. I expect nothing less than first place."

"No pressure, right?"

"Well, if you're as 'talented' as everyone says, you should have no issues."

Roxas chuckled. He felt like he could relax a little. For the first time that day, things felt normal between the both of them again.

"Easier said than done."

_**Memories of Tension** _


	16. Memories of Rivalries

The hospital room was painfully quiet, the void filled by nothing but the ticking of a clock. Master Xehanort sat at Eraqus's bedside with his hands clasped and his eyes closed in deep contemplation. He could have stayed like that for another few hours had it not been for Eraqus stirring out of his state of unconsciousness. He gasped for air and grunted to stifle the unfathomable amount of pain coursing through his bones. Master Xehanort placed a hand over his friend's in hopes of settling his nerves.

"Rest easy, old friend," Xehanort said. "We'll get you what you need soon."

As if on cue, the door shot open as a team of medics came rushing in with a cart of medical equipment. "Is the Master ready?" one of the medics asked.

Master Xehanort acknowledged him with a nod and stood from his chair, stepping away with his arms tied behind his back to make room for them to work. Xehanort was glad to see Eraqus get the treatment he needed, but to see the medics preparing shots of saline while he was hooked up to wires, IVs, and tubes was a bit much for him to bear.

Rufus Shinra entered shortly thereafter and approached Xehanort. "So, how's your trump card holding up?" he asked with a tinge of sarcasm.

Master Xehanort didn't respond. He only glared as if it were a warning to keep his mouth shut. He sauntered into the hallway, Rufus taking the wordless clue to follow as he shut the door behind them.

"Has Roxas enrolled into SOLDIER yet?" Xehanort asked.

Rufus sighed. "No, he hasn't budged. I did what I could at our formerly-known-as-Ms. Lockhart's little get-together, but it went about as well as I expected."

Xehanort closed his eyes. "I recall you assuring me you had everything under control."

"And I stand by that," Rufus insisted. "I've come up with an offer that he couldn't refuse. All you need to do is afford me a little patience. I assure you that everything will fall into place in due time."

"I should hope so. To not acquire and groom such a valuable asset to use at our disposal would be a waste."

"I still say we just get rid of the kid if you're that worried about him."

"Why kill what you can control?"

"He's not a tool, he's a threat. We both know it, so why entertain this foolishness when we can have him... dealt with?"

Xehanort scoffed. "Because he's just a boy. That aside, in the likely outcome that an assassination attempt against the son of the most revered soldiers the galaxy has ever seen with evidence potentially tracing back to us ends in failure... what then, would you suggest?"

"I think you underestimate the element of surprise."

"I think your rashness will get the both of us incriminated," Xehanort spat back. "We mustn't take our blessings for granted. Being in the good graces of the public gives us an advantage to work in the shadows. To jeopardize that would be asinine. Don't be a fool."

Rufus sighed. "With all due respect, Master, I think your paranoia is a tad misplaced. Who we really need to worry about is Sora. The Kingdom Key's chosen isn't to be taken lightly. Aren't you the one who's always saying destiny is never left to chance?"

"Ah, yes." Xehanort put on one of his infamous sneers as he stroked his beard. "That dull, ordinary boy—a Keyblade wielder so unlike any I have ever seen. I will admit my own curiosity as to why the Keyblade would choose such an unremarkable young man to act as the destined protector of this generation and I trust that the reason is sound. However, I've met him. In his current state, he's unsure of himself and lacks ambition. One look into his eyes will tell you enough. The time to strike is now—when the boy hasn't reached his full potential." Xehanort began walking down the hallway.

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Rufus asked, catching up to Xehanort.

Xehanort stopped and looked at him halfway with a smirk.

* * *

Sora took in a deep inhale before letting out a slow, but long-awaited exhale.

It was the fourth and final day of the Guardian Festival. Sora stood in the backstage area, mentally preparing himself for the day ahead. Per tradition, the last day had always been dedicated to a struggle tournament that took place in a large stadium with banners advertising the clash of two signature blue foam bats. He and Riku had been training for this moment for weeks and it all came down to this. The contest had a reputation for its highly competitive and thrilling matches that were usually the talk of the town for the rest of the summer. While there were many struggle tournaments that spread across multiple worlds, the Destiny Islands rendition was often the most celebrated and grandiose to the point where it was televised across many local stations.

However, to Sora this was more than just a struggle tournament meant to attain bragging rights and a couple bucks. There was a lot he needed to prove to himself: if his hard work paid off, if he could hold his own against the competition, and if he was truly worthy of the Kingdom Key. It may have sounded silly to others. After all, it wasn't like the fate of the universe rested on the outcome of one measly tournament. But if he couldn't even hold his own against his peers and contemporaries, how was he supposed to fare against legitimate antagonism that threatened the safety of the worlds? It was a self-appointed test. He spent so much time comparing himself to his peers and those who came before him like Zack. It was time to see if he had finally broken into their league.

"You ready for this?"

When Sora felt a hand grasp his shoulder, he nearly jumped out of his own skin. However, he was able to calm down at the sight of his best friend and offered an embarrassed smile in response to the coy smirk of Riku, who didn't happen to be wearing his glasses for the occasion.

"Oh, uh... hey," Sora greeted lamely. "I'm not sure." He looked past the curtain and out into the massive stadium filled to the brim with spectators. "I was pumped for this a few weeks ago, but now that we're finally here..." He sighed, but kept a sad smile. "Guess I just feel kinda overwhelmed."

Riku took a few steps past Sora. "Well, you better get whelmed. You're not going to get very far with an attitude like that. You need to be sure of yourself that you can hold your own." He stopped, looking back at Sora halfway. "Fair warning, though. I'm not pulling my punches."

Sora felt his eyebrows crease with confusion. "Okay..."

A moment of awkward silence passed between them before Sora broke it.

"Oh, yeah. There's something I forgot to tell you," he said. "You see, Kairi ended up asking me to hang out after the festival yesterday."

Riku's eyes widened and turned to give Sora his full attention. "She asked you out? Just the two of you?"

Sora waved his hands. "No, no, it's nothing like that! I'm like, ninety-nine percent sure it's just a friend type of thing." He scratched his cheek embarrassingly. "But I thought I oughta let you know so you didn't get the wrong idea."

"No problem with me."

"Really? You're okay with it?"

"Should I not be?" Riku asked with a chuckle. "You said it was platonic, right?"

"Well, yeah," Sora admitted. "I guess I just didn't want to do anything that made you uncomfortable. Say, maybe you could come with us and I can put in a good word for you!"

Kairi asked Sora to "hang out" after the festival and the boy was still thinking about being a wingman for _him_? Riku shook his head. For all he knew, maybe it really was just a platonic gesture, otherwise he couldn't comprehend why Kairi would go for someone so clueless. But if it were platonic, why didn't she invite Riku? Or anyone else for that matter? Kairi wasn't usually one to play favoritism—for her, it always seemed like the more the merrier. He let it go yesterday when the two ran off together because they had Haru with them.

But this was different. For her to ask Sora...

"Nah, that's okay," Riku declined, waving his hand. "She asked you, not me. Besides, quite frankly, I don't think I want to sit there and spell things out for you."

Sora couldn't help but wince at Riku's delivery. "What's that supposed to—"

"Hiya!"

"W-Whoa!"

Yet again, Sora nearly jumped out of his skin. Like before, he was able to settle down once he saw the familiar sight of Kairi with a hand over her lips as she stifled her giggles. She was with Amaya and Haru as well, the latter holding hands with the former.

Sora didn't look quite as amused. "Gimme a break, Kairi."

"Hee hee! It's not _my_ fault you're easy to scare," Kairi said as she pinched Sora's cheeks teasingly, much to Riku's chagrin.

"Haha! Sora got scaaared!" Haru teased while pointing at her big cousin.

Sora rubbed his nose stubbornly, unsuccessfully ignoring Kairi as she poked at his cheek. "Did not."

"Did too!"

"Okay, cut it out!" Sora said, knocking Kairi's hand away, sending her into another fit of laughter and Sora returned to his usual friendly demeanor.

Riku felt like he was going to lose his breakfast. But he wasn't ignorant; he noticed how attached Kairi seemed to be to Sora lately. But why? What was it about Sora? And it wasn't just about Kairi. His antics from last night at the concert were proof enough of that. Riku found his best friend to be an odd, but fascinating one sometimes; that despite being generally average and unremarkable, he seemed to touch the hearts of others in a way he didn't see often.

"Wait a sec, what are you guys doing here?" Sora asked, his question bringing Riku back into reality.

Amaya signaled the badge hung around her neck. It was only then that Sora and Riku noticed Kairi and Haru had ones as well. "It looks like Axel was able to get us V.I.P backstage passes thanks to his performance last night," Amaya explained. "I guess he actually does have the capacity to be useful sometimes."

"Look, look! I got one, too!" Haru said, proudly flashing her V.I.P badge.

"That's awesome, Haru," Sora said with a smile.

"Soooo, we came to wish you guys good luck," Kairi said.

" _And_ to tell you both to be careful," Amaya added. "I don't want to see either of you get hurt. Of course, I have my first-aid kit on standby just in case."

Riku smirked as he crossed his arms. "Aww, she does care."

Amaya rolled her eyes. "More like I'd rather not be stuck cleaning your wounds in the case of you two being needlessly reckless. So, please, don't give me a reason to worry."

"We'll be okay, Amaya," Sora said. "I promise."

"Yeah, bring home the gold," Kairi said. "I know you're gonna do great!"

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "I dunno about that one. It'll be a first if I even get past the second round."

Kairi initially furrowed her brows with frustration and huffed one of her bangs out of her eyes. "Hey now, don't be too hard on yourself," she said. "Do your best out there and don't compare yourself to the others. In times like this, it's best to believe in yourself." She sent Sora a smile that kindled a warm glow. "But don't forget that _I_ believe in you too, okay?"

Sora was prepared for another one of her playful teases rather than such heartfelt words, but it wasn't an unwelcome surprise. He returned her smile graciously, showing off his pearly whites. "Thank you."

"And me, too!" Haru shouted, making sure she was acknowledged. Sora knelt down and ruffled her hair as his form of gratitude.

"Can I get a good luck kiss before I go out there?" Sora asked.

Haru giggled. "Ewww!"

"Aww, I only meant on the cheek," Sora said with a toothy smile.

"Okaaay," Haru said, wrapping her big cousin around his neck and planting one on his left cheek. "Good luck!"

When Sora stood and turned around, he took another deep breath before hesitating to walk towards the curtain and into the stadium to get a look around before it was time for the tournament to start. Riku kept a close eye on him all the while, failing to notice Amaya was watching him carefully as well.

Riku cleared his throat before turning to Kairi. "Guess I don't get a good luck kiss too, huh? Could use a little morale boosting myself."

Kairi smirked. Riku wasn't sure what to make of that smirk anymore. At one point in time, he thought it was a flirtatious gesture. But the more he saw her interact with Sora, the more he became unsure. Now he was beginning to come to the conclusion that she didn't take him seriously.

"Whaaaat? Is the great Riku himself actually losing confidence?" Kairi asked jokingly while pretending to gasp. She turned to Amaya and nudged her on the shoulder. "That'd be a first, huh?"

"Oh, far from it," Riku said with a grin. "I've got full belief that I've got this in the bag. I guess the only thing left after the fact will be finding someone to celebrate with."

"Hmm, is that so?" Kairi said suggestively. "And here I thought you would've had one of your many fangirls to cover that for you."

"Eh, maybe. Could probably find a nice girl to take for a spin on a Friday evening when it's all said and done if I really wanted to. But there's one problem with that." Riku took a step closer, deliberately decreasing their proximity. He gave her a lopsided grin. "It wouldn't be with the one who matters."

For a moment, there was silence. The way Kairi looked into Riku's eyes, it seemed as if she were enchanted. His sudden boldness seemed to catch her attention and it was the exact outcome Riku was hoping for. Even Amaya was starting to think she and Haru were becoming third and fourth wheels to a moment of emotional intimacy.

And then, Kairi smiled. "Well, I hope you'll find the lucky girl and give her a good time, Riku."

Riku almost frowned with disappointment before catching himself. "And what if that lucky girl was closer than you think?"

Kairi gave a somewhat blank stare. "Well, it's always good to consider the feelings of others first and foremost. Not everyone likes feeling like they're being imposed on, Riku. But don't worry, I'm positive there's a lucky girl out there for you somewhere."

Her smile hurt him more than Riku cared to let on. "Maybe so," he said. "Guess we'll see after I win the tournament today."

"Well then, Mr. Stud," Kairi teased, saluting him as she moved past him. "Just make sure those shapely biceps of yours don't get to your head, m'kay?"

Amaya held back a snicker at Kairi's joke but immediately stopped when Riku shot her a glare and she was quick to clear her throat. "I'm—I'm sorry," Amaya apologized insincerely.

"Hey, you said it to Sora yourself," Riku said. "He needs to believe in himself. And that's just what I plan on doing."

Kairi didn't respond. She simply continued smiling at him jovially. Riku darted his eyes back and forth, waiting for her to say something, but she never did.

"What?" Riku was forced to ask.

"Hee hee! You know, Riku, they say there's a thin line between overconfidence and insecurity," Kairi said as she walked past him with her hands tied behind her back. "I should know," she whispered to herself, quiet enough for Riku to not catch it.

Riku furrowed his eyebrows. "And what do you mean by that, exactly?"

Kairi turned around to face him, once again sporting her usual smile as she shook her head and waved him off. "Nothing. Best of luck out there, Riku. But I have to tell you, I've got my munny on Sora."

"Me too!" Haru added, though she was lost throughout most of the conversation.

Riku almost wanted to scoff. "Is that right? Well, I'd hate to be the one to kill your enthusiasm. Let's hope he doesn't let you down."

"Oh, he won't," Kairi said with confidence. "Trust me. He's stronger than you think."

Kairi started making her way back to where she, Amaya, and Haru came from before noticing both girls weren't following.

"You ready?" Kairi asked.

Amaya glanced at Riku. "I'll catch up! I just want to... give Riku some battle tips."

Riku nearly blew her bluff. "You?!" he asked incredulously.

"Yes, me," Amaya bit back with gritted teeth.

"But since when did you—"

"I read a book." Amaya gently patted Haru forward. "Go with Kairi, Haru. I'll catch up with you guys shortly."

"Okay!" the little girl said, quick to rush over to Kairi and take her hand. Kairi had no complaints and pressed forward. Once they were out of earshot, Amaya turned to Riku.

"Full offense, but I don't think you're going to have anything useful to say about any of this," Riku said.

Amaya rolled her eyes. "This isn't about battle tips, genius. It's about you. Remember what I said about those playful competitions turning into something uglier if you're not careful?"

Riku groaned. "I don't need to hear this right now, Amaya."

He turned to leave before Amaya grabbed him by the arm and practically pulled him back to her. "Just promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"Amaya," he warned.

"I'm serious," she said with no trace of mirth. "The last thing I want is to see either of you getting hurt. Admittedly, I don't know the full extent of this Kairi situation between you two, but I need you to accept whatever happens and move on. Can you promise me that much?"

He snatched his arm away from her. "You know what? I'm honestly getting really sick of you. You've done nothing but yap in my ear about this like I'm some sort of monster the whole time you've been back. Well, could you cut it out already and maybe mind your own business? You know, for once? You seem to have a hard time doing that."

Amaya took a few steps back with a hand on her chest, not expecting his voice to inflate in volume. Usually, she was one of the few who could talk sense into Riku—considering she was probably one of the select few who could actually outwit him and thus, making him value her opinion over the average person. "I'm sorry, I just don't want you to—"

"I don't need a supervisor. I can handle myself perfectly fine on my own. Now, if you'll excuse me."

Without giving her a chance to respond, Riku walked towards the curtains that led to the stadium just like Sora had done earlier. Amaya didn't put up much more of a fight. She could only stand there and hug her arms.

"I hope so, Riku," she said to no one in particular. "For your sake."

* * *

As Roxas stood backstage, watching the stadium fill to the brim with anticipated spectators, their buttered popcorn and iced drinks at their disposal, he was beginning to have second thoughts about his current situation. While his friends might have thought his ego got the best of him yesterday when Seifer challenged him to the struggle tournament, Roxas knew the real reason he signed up at the last second.

The prize pool of 10,000 munny.

With that, he could finally make some steps towards his dream of gummi ship piloting. He could easily lay that munny down on his own personally customized gummi ship and it would be more than enough to attend school. The only thing that kept Roxas hesitant was his lack of desire to fight in the first place. Not to mention the fact there would be scouts watching him closely waiting for the opportunity to strike. He knew it was a gamble, but he figured it was a gamble worth taking.

"Whassup, Roxas!" said someone with a familiar foreign accent. Roxas craned his head to find Tidus, Selphie, and Wakka approaching him, the voice belonging to the latter of the three. "Best of luck today, man."

"Same to you two," Roxas said.

"Yeah, no hard feelings when I trounce ya," Tidus said with a cocky grin. "It's just business, that's all."

Roxas only shook his head but maintained his smile. Tidus never changed. "What are you doing back here, Selph?" he asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Selphie asked with a cheeky grin as she modeled her outfit for him. "I, Selphie Tilmitt, was personally asked to be the head announcer for this thingy! Isn't that amazing? I get to make my television debut while having the best spot in the house when I watch my beloved come out on top!" She clung to Tidus's arm. "No offense, Roxas."

Roxas raised his hands defensively. "None taken."

"Hey, what about me?" Wakka asked defensively.

Selphie rolled her eyes. "Oh, please, Wakka. As if anyone expects you to get past the first round."

Tidus snickered. "She's got a point, Wakka."

"Hey!" Wakka said, a discouraged look on his face. "A little below the belt, ya?"

"Anyway, I better get ready," Selphie announced. "Wish me luck!"

Selphie gave Tidus a peck on the lips before skipping past the curtains that led to the main stadium.

"Later, Roxas. We better get prepared, brotha," Wakka said, stretching his arms.

Tidus averted his eyes for a moment before giving Wakka a look. "You go on ahead. I'll catch up."

Wakka raised an eyebrow but shrugged, walking off to the locker room by himself for the time being.

"Hey," Tidus said, his voice nearly trailing off.

"What's up?" Roxas asked.

"You're... Naminé's boyfriend, aren't you?"

The question caught Roxas by surprise, though he admitted it shouldn't have. "No," he answered, slightly humored. "What makes you say that?"

Tidus frowned. "Well, there's rumors spreading around that you two are a thing," he explained. "Seems like every heartbroken girl on the island is upset about 'Cloud's son hooking up with the mysterious girl with the glasses.' Besides, you two seemed mighty close back at the dinner party. It's like you're always seen together."

"There's rumors already?" Roxas asked dreadfully. He figured the incident with the two catty girls from the other day must have been the catalyst for them. "Can't a guy get a little privacy around here?"

"So... you're not a thing?"

Roxas sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "No, we're not. And don't take this the wrong way, but even if we were, what would it matter to you?"

Tidus furrowed his brows. "Just curious." He stopped shoulder to shoulder with Roxas. "Whatever the case, don't hurt her, okay?"

Roxas would've reiterated his point that he and Naminé weren't a thing in the first place, but he withheld his tongue as he didn't feel like repeating himself and simply watched Tidus press on. Roxas lifted a curious eyebrow. Why did Tidus care so much?

"Hey, handsome."

The new voice belonged to Xion as she approached him with the friendliest smiles alongside Axel. To Roxas, after having to put up with Selphie's vanity and false rumors regarding his relationship status, his best friends were a sight for sore eyes.

"Hey, pretty lady," Roxas returned. "And let's not forget the next big thing himself."

Axel scoffed. "Next big thing? Roxas, buddy. Please. You mean the current big thing. Got it memorized?" He pulled out his phone and practically shoved the screen in Roxas's face. "Five hundred thousand hits on MoogleTube already! And that's just after one day, man. Not to brag or anything, but I think it's pretty safe to say you two are in the presence of a bonafide genius."

"Well, as long as you're humble about it," Xion riffed.

"So, let me guess, you guys here to wish me good luck?" Roxas asked.

"Actually, we were comin' to tell ya that your nudes accidentally got leaked a few minutes ago," Axel said. "Social media sure's gonna be a bitch."

"But don't worry, we know this really awesome press agent who can totally—"

"Yeah, you guys are hysterical," Roxas cut off, making them both snicker. "So, where's Naminé?"

Xion furrowed her brows so slightly that it would've taken a microscope to notice before answering with a nonchalant shrug. "She's still in the stands. Guess she didn't feel like coming."

"Oh," was all Roxas could muster.

"Guy to guy, I tried to get her to come with us when I got everyone backstage passes, but she wasn't budgin'," Axel said. "Guess she'd rather stick to her old man right now, buddy. She prob'ly feels safe with 'im."

"Ah, well," Roxas eventually said with a smile, though Xion could tell it was laced with more disappointment than she cared to admit. "At least she's here. I know these kinds of events aren't really her thing, but she's trying. That's good enough."

Xion inwardly sighed. "Yes, she is."

"Helloooo, ladies and gentlemen!" They heard Selphie's booming voice from the speakers outside. "Struggle-fiends of Destiny Islands, as well as our amazing guests and tourists for this year's spectacular Guardian Festival. It's time for summer's most sizzling clash. Thaaaat's right! I'm Selphie Tilmitt, your fabulous host for the thirty-eighth annual Guardian Festival struggle tournament!"

The crowd uproared with excitement.

"Oh, shit, guess we better let you go," Axel said. He moved past him and slapped Roxas on his rear end, making said boy cover his derriere protectively. "First place or bust, ya cum dumpster!"

Xion giggled as she moved closer to Roxas. "Remind me why we hang out with that guy again?" he asked, still glaring at the retreating Axel.

"At this point, your guess is as good as mine." Xion looked over to her friend who seemed to be stretching his shoulders. "So, the prize munny, huh?"

Roxas chuckled. "You figured it out. I kinda knew you would."

She offered a sympathetic smile. "I get that it's a one-way ticket to making your dreams come true, but I know how you feel about fighting. Not to mention SOLDIER. Are you really sure you want to go through with this?"

"I think it's a little too late to back out even if I wanted to," Roxas said with a light chuckle. "What, no faith in me?"

"I just don't want you doing something you'll regret. We're talking about a lifelong decision here Roxas and you're betting on a stupid tournament." She set her fists against her hips with a scolding look on his face.

"I know it's a risk, but it's one I'm willing to take," Roxas said. "Sometimes in life we need to take that leap of faith."

Xion slumped her shoulders in defeat. "But aren't you at least nervous?"

Roxas took a moment to answer, taking a few steps ahead of her. "Yeah, sure I am. Seifer might be a jerk but he's no slouch in the ring. I know he's getting past the third round for sure. It won't be easy but getting past him could be the first step."

"And if you lose?"

Roxas sighed. He honestly didn't know what else was left for him in Destiny Islands. Maybe having an excuse to get out of town would do him good. Besides, with Snow watching Roxas like a hawk, he wasn't sure how much he could push his relationship with Naminé forward. And that was if he even wanted to in the first place. If anything, this could've been the first step for him in finding a purpose.

"Then maybe I can finally do something about this geostigma crisis," Roxas said at long last with a smile laced with sadness.

Despite his smile, it didn't help uplift Xion's spirits much.

"Anyway, I better get ready," Roxas said after not much conversation followed.

Xion nodded as Roxas began making his way towards the locker room before she spoke up. "Hey, Roxas."

He stopped and turned to face her.

"Best of luck today," she said with a smile full of concern, but it was still filled with mirth.

Roxas returned the smile. "Yeah."

* * *

"Helloooo, ladies and gentlemen! Struggle-fiends of Destiny Islands, as well as our amazing guests and tourists for this year's Guardian Festival. It's time for summer's most sizzling clash. Thaaaat's right! I'm Selphie Tilmitt, your fabulous host for the thirty-eighth annual Guardian Festival struggle tournament!"

The energy in the air was electrifying and spectators felt the jolt of their own adrenaline like static. Naminé sat near the top of the stands alongside her father and Claire, both to her right side. Snow didn't look very enthusiastic about the ordeal as he had his arms crossed, watching the scenery with indifference. Claire didn't seem as invested either but at least she had some popcorn to keep herself occupied.

Naminé would have liked to go wish Roxas good luck in person, but her anxiety got the best of her. What if on her way to see him she bumped into someone and spilled their nachos or popcorn? More importantly, she couldn't help but feel as if Snow wouldn't have wanted her to leave if she did. He didn't even seem happy that Kairi left to find Sora and Riku.

"Where the hell is Kairi?" Snow muttered to himself, tapping his foot. "The show's about to start. She should be here by now."

"Not if she's busy having a normal social life. You know, like most teenagers," Claire deadpanned. "Now shut up and don't give me a headache."

While she thought her father's paranoia was somewhat overbearing, Naminé inwardly admitted she was anticipating her sister's return as well. Otherwise, she wouldn't have had anyone to feel comfortable enough around with Larxene and Demyx sitting a row in front of them—the latter on the edges of sleep while the former was filing her nails with a look of disinterest.

"Among our sixteen combatants, we're here to find out who's the best of the best! Who can go against all odds and come out on top? And do they have what it takes to take on our defending champion, Setzer?" Selphie took a few steps back and presented Setzer, who stood in the ring with his champion belt slung across his right shoulder.

"SETZERRRRR!" his fangirls once again shrieked in the large pool of people filling the stands. They shrilled and screamed as they held up their signs with his name attached to them and their Setzer t-shirts and merchandise proudly on display. The crowd repeatedly chanted his name. Setzer put on the slightest of grins, waving to his adoring public.

"Setzer Gabbiani, you have some tough competition out here today! Not only might you have to potentially compete against Roxas Strife, the son of Cloud Strife—a treasure to the hearts of millions galaxy-wide, but also Riku and Seifer, two previous winners of the struggle tournament before you claimed the championship for yourself in your insanely memorable performance last year! Do you have any thoughts on that?" Selphie asked before offering the microphone for Setzer to speak into.

"We'll see what lies ahead, and while discrediting a good number of impressive athletes is far from my intentions, I do fully intend to retain my championship," Setzer said. "To those good men, I say let's have a go, shall we?"

As he winked to the audience, made visible thanks to the giant monitor overlooking both sides of the stadium, many girls in the audience screamed or sighed dreamily.

"Well, there you have it, folks," Selphie said, fanning herself. "Looks like Setzer isn't one to back down from a challenge! Now that's a true champion if I ever heard of one!"

"Tch, would you get a load of that jackass?" Snow said. "Man, if I didn't have a bad back—"

"He'd still mop the floor with you," Claire deadpanned.

Snow wanted to retort but kept quiet after that one.

"Hey, hope we didn't miss anything," Kairi said cheerily as she and Haru came walking down the aisle and reclaimed their seats next to Naminé.

"Not unless you care to see someone's inflated ego," Snow said.

Eventually, Axel, Amaya, and Xion returned as well, the former taking a seat next to his girlfriend and the latter two snagging spots next to Haru and Kairi.

"All right, I think it's time we introduce today's combatants!" Selphie said. "Captain of the Besaid Aurochs and a guy who I've had the displeasure of having to pick up his leftover pizza boxes and dirty underwear over the years, Wakka Nakai."

As she stated his name, a picture of Wakka appeared on the giant monitor above—he gave a wide, toothy grin as he held a blitzball. In the backstage area, Wakka slumped his shoulders while Tidus patted his friend on the back reassuringly, albeit with a humored grin.

"She's so cold, man," Wakka said.

"He calls himself the freeshooter and he's got shot of a sniper," Selphie continued. "The one, the only: Braig Otsuka!"

A picture of a young man wearing an eyepatch appeared on the monitor.

"I'm gonna call him the cyclops," Axel said with a grin.

"Wow, so original," Larxene droned. "Betcha you were proud when you came up with that one."

"You could at least pretend to laugh at one of my lame jokes every once in a while."

"Next up is the man of few words—Neku Sakurabu!" Selphie announced as a picture of a lanky teenager with spiky orange hair appeared on the screen. He had his left hand on his headphones while the other was reaching out to the camera.

"Ugh, not him," Xion gagged.

"You know him?" Kairi asked.

"My ex," Xion answered regretfully. "Please don't ask."

Though, she could tell simply by the suggestive and sly look on Kairi's face that she was wordlessly communicating _'oh, we are so talking about this later, young lady.'_ Xion groaned.

"A lover of flowers and one of the leaders of the union, Lauriam!" Selphie said.

"Pffft, a lover of flowers?" Axel said. "Get a load of the testosterone on that guy, huh? Right? Right?" He nudged both Demyx and Larxene, though he didn't get much of a reaction out of either of them.

Claire sighed. "Larxene? Could you please?"

Larxene continued to examine her nails but wordlessly complied as she used her free hand clutch Axel's lips shut.

"Our sole female competitor who isn't afraid to step up to represent women all over the world and kick some booty, Panelo Kozawa!"

This time it was a blonde girl with pigtails who seemed to be in a sitting position as she gave the camera a big smile.

"Well, 'least it's not a total sausage fest," Demyx said.

Larxene narrowed her eyes at Axel. "What?!" he asked.

"You ogle, you die."

"You probably could have signed up if you wanted to, Kairi," Naminé encouraged. "You did well in the struggle tournaments back in Radiant Garden."

"Oh, so you know how to fight, Kairi?" Amaya asked.

"Once upon a time," Kairi said with a shrug. "But I don't think it's for me anymore."

Selphie continued. "Some, uh... I dunno. Just some guy I've never heard of before: Vaan!"

A picture of a boy with blond hair and blue eyes appeared on screen with his hands tied behind his head.

"Seems like an... unprofessional way of introducing somebody," Amaya observed.

Everyone looked to Axel, fully expecting him to have something dumb to say but instead he just leaned back in his chair before noticing all eyes were on him.

"I got nothin'," Axel said with a shrug.

"Sora Valentine. Woo hoo," Selphie said plainly as a picture of Sora showed up on the screen, flashing one of his toothy grins while having a struggle bat slung across his shoulder. Despite the lackluster introduction, Kairi and Haru cheered enthusiastically.

"Oh, come on! What kind of lame ass introduction was that?" Xion complained, sitting back in her seat with her arms and legs crossed stubbornly. "Frickin' Selphie, man..."

Kairi sighed. "She must still be bitter about what he did to her back at the dinner party."

"I'd have him do it again if I could," Xion mumbled, punching her fist into her palm.

"Um... what exactly did Sora do to her?" Amaya asked, somewhat anxious for what the answer might be.

"Selph was messin' with Naminé and he slammed a cake on her face but faked like it was an accident," Axel answered casually.

"Oh, thank God," Amaya said, putting a hand to her chest, relieved to know she wouldn't have to kick her cousin's ass. Not that she really thought she would, but just in case.

"An underground favorite and a much hotter version of his little brother, Sora, Vanitas Valentine!" Selphie announced, with a picture of Vanitas flashing a malicious sneer came into view.

"Okay, that comment was just plain unnecessary," Xion said with a cringe.

"And false!" Kairi added.

Meanwhile backstage, Sora pouted while standing next to Vanitas himself, who gave Sora a smirk. "You win some, you lose some, little bro."

"One of the leading Dragoons from the kingdom of Baron, Kain Highwind!"

A man wearing full body armor with a spear in hand showed up on the monitor. Axel rolled his eyes.

"Aw, man. He's one of those assholes," Axel said in reference to Kain still wearing his armor off duty and in a different world from his own. Axel cupped his hands around his mouth like a makeshift megaphone as he shouted. "We get it, buddy! You're hot shit!"

"Lead keyboardist of the Melodious Nocturnes who put on a rockin' performance last night, Isa Sato! And let's not forget his fellow bandmate and lead drummer, Aeleus!"

A picture of both Saïx and Lexaeus appeared onscreen, both looking as serious as they usually did.

"My boys!" Axel cheered. "Now that's more like it!"

"Heck yeah, bring it home, you two!" Demyx cheered. "Okay, I've expended enough energy for the day."

"Regular finalist and leader of the Destiny Islands Disciplinary Committee: Seifer!"

Seifer appeared on the monitor in his usual getup as he held up his right hand.

"Boooo!" Haru hissed.

Amaya folded her arms with a chastising look. "Now, Haru. That's not a very nice thing to—"

"BOOOOOOOO!" Kairi and Xion hissed, making Amaya nearly jump out of her own skin. She sighed, worried for the type of impression this new group of friends were leaving on Haru at times.

"The son of Cloud and local teen heartthrob who's making a comeback for some sizzling struggle action this year after his last match nearly four years ago, Roxas Strife!"

Roxas appeared on screen with his right hand attached to his hip, his usual laidback and easygoing smile on his face. Seeing Roxas on the big screen, as well as hearing the positive reception given to him by the crowd did make Naminé smile, albeit it was a small one. She even began giggling. To everyone else, he was this highly esteemed air to the Strife name destined for greatness, but to her he was just a goofy kid in severe need of dancing lessons.

"What's so funny?" Kairi asked, giving her sister a playfully suggestive look.

Naminé tucked some hair behind her ear to distract from her blush. That blush didn't go unnoticed by both Snow and Xion.

"I was just thinking about something funny on a show I watched the other day," Naminé excused.

"Up and coming weapons specialist and the man who's been on a legendary winning streak in struggle tournaments across multiple different worlds, Yozora!"

A picture of a man with silver hair and he seemed to have heterochromia iridum, with his right eye being blue and his left eye being red. He almost looked emotionless but still determined.

"That dude reminds me of someone," Axel said, tapping his chin. "Is it just me?"

"Riku?" Larxene suggested.

"Nah, not him. Like, kinda him but kinda not?" Axel said, turning around to face the girls. "C'mon, it can't just be me."

The four girls, being Xion, Amaya, Kairi, and Naminé exchanged confused glances before returning their attention to Axel.

"Sorry," Amaya said.

"Beats me," Kairi said.

"Yeah, I'm not seeing it," Xion said.

Naminé only shook her head while Haru stared at all of them, having a hard time following the conversation.

"Damn. It's right on the tip of my tongue," Axel said.

"Yo," said Noctis as he walked down the aisle with a medium-sized popcorn and offered who he viewed as Roxas's friends with a casual salute.

Everyone (aside from Larxene and Snow) sent a friendly greeting to the young prince.

"Hey, Noct! My main prince!" Axel said, pointing to him. He then returned his eyes to Yozora. "Anyway, it's crazy how this dude reminds me of someone. Just can't put my finger on it."

Claire pinched the bridge of her nose with a deep and heavy sigh.

"Son of the brilliant Kyoko Miyano, CEO and co-owner of the Fleuret modeling agency, making him both extremely hot and loaded, Riku Miyano!"

The screen displayed Riku with a determined expression as he held his struggle bat in his left hand.

Everyone cringed at the unnecessary comments made by Selphie.

"Geez, how the heck did she get hired?" Xion asked.

"And last but most certainly not least, my future husband who is totally going to blow all of you away this year! He's smart, charming, one of the most athletically gifted and savvy people I've ever met in my entire life, and clearly the most attractive individual on this list! Not to mention the son of the highly esteemed star player of the Zanarkand Abes who also happens to be one of our lead sponsors of the tournament, Jecht. I want to hear you scream your hearts out for my love, Tidus Fleming!"

When the picture of Tidus holding his struggle bat with a confident grin appeared on the screen, it was accompanied by pyrotech that lit up the outer ends of the stadium.

"Ah, that explains it," Xion said.

"Seriously? That guy of all people gets the big fancy entrance?" Axel asked, rolling his eyes. "What a load of bull."

"A perk of being the son of one of the sponsors, I guess," Amaya said.

Naminé gulped. It was a surreal experience to see who was technically her ex on such a big screen. She wasn't sure how to feel about it.

"Now, I say it's time we get this show underway!" Selphie continued. "I suggest our combatants listen to the rules before we begin. If you would all please take the AR devices attached under your seats. Press the right-hand switch to turn them on. After that, just sit back, relax, grab your popcorn, and enjoy the upcoming spectacle. You know the drill, let's..."

"STRUGGLE!" the crowd all chanted at once with Selphie.

After the crowd of over twenty-eight thousand situated their AR devices on their faces and turned them on, all sixteen combatants made their entrances from backstage, eight of them coming from the left side and the other eight from the right. Some waved at the crowd, some nodded respectfully, while others acted as if they didn't exist. Once they were all in the square ring and huddled up, the referee blew his whistle upon approaching them.

"All right, guys," the referee said.

Panelo put a fist to her lips. "Ahem!"

"And... girl," he finished poorly. "I wanna assume you all know the rules but is there anyone who needs a refresher?"

"I could use one," Vaan said. "This is my first struggle tournament, after all."

"...Who are you again?" the referee asked. When Vaan opened his mouth, he was cut off. "Nevermind. Don't care."

Vaan pouted, though he got a reassuring pat on the back from Panelo.

"It's easy," the referee said. "When the match begins, you each start out with one hundred orbs. Attack your opponent to take away their orbs." He handed out the same virtual goggles that were given to those in the crowd. "These AR devices from San Fransokyo create a CG overlay that augments your vision. You'll be able see holographic images of the orbs in order for you to see how much damage you're doing to your opponent. You have to gather the orbs by running towards them, that's it. Just make sure you don't get hit."

Sora looked at Riku, who happened to be standing across from him in the huddled circle, and gave him a smile and a thumbs up for good luck. Riku gave a weak smile back before putting his AR device on. Sora pouted at the lack of a reaction and put on his device on his face along with the others.

"There's a time limit of ten minutes per match," the ref continued. "If the time limit runs out, whoever has the least amount of orbs will be the loser. Alternatively, you can win much faster if you're able to take all of your opponent's orbs before the time limit. Easier said than done, but not impossible. Sounds good?"

Once the referee made sure no one else had any further questions, he left the ring. "All right, it looks like our combatants are ready and it's time for our first match," Selphie announced from outside the ring. "Let's look at the randomizer and see who'll be going up against each other first!"

All eyes and heads watched the giant monitors above as the pictures of all sixteen fighters spun like a slot machine until it landed on Sora and Neku.

"Well, there you go, folks! Sora Valentine versus Neku Sakurabu," Selphie said. "Buckle up your seatbelts and let's watch Sora get his butt handed to him! At least, we can only hope," Selphie added bitterly. Sora frowned at her.

The remaining fourteen competitors exited the ring. Sora expected Riku to at least give him some sort of acknowledgement, but instead he watched as Riku passed him by without sparing him so much as a glance. Someone else did the honors and placed a hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Good luck," Roxas said.

Despite Sora's disappointment at what seemed to be the cold shoulder from Riku, he appreciated Roxas and smiled at him with a nod. Eventually, after being given his foam bat by the referee, it was just Sora alone in the ring with his opponent.

"Long time no see," Sora said as he began approaching him.

Neku didn't care to respond.

"I know you had a thing with my sister before, but I hope there's no hard feelings between us," Sora said, extending his hand. "Let's do our best."

Neku scoffed. "You think this is some friendly competition?"

Sora blinked. "Uh... yes?"

"Sorry, that's not how I roll. My only concern is reaching the top of the bracket so that I can win that prize munny. You're just an obstacle standing in my way." Neku hopped backwards and pointed his bat at Sora. "When I wipe the floor with you, tell Xion I said sorry."

Instead of taking it personally, Sora chuckled lightly. "You don't change at all, huh?"

"W... What?"

"Okay, then. If it's that kind of fight you want." Sora bent his knees and held his bat protectively behind him. "I won't back down!"

Neku rolled his eyes. "I don't get you."

A timer showed up on the monitor starting at five. Selphie took it upon herself to count it down at ringside. "Three... two... one..."

"STRUGGLE!" the crowd cheered.

The fight was on.

Kairi was quick to cheer Sora on with everything she had in her. Sora made the first move as he charged towards Neku, who remained firmly in place with a hand attached to his hip. Sora swung his bat but Neku was quicker than he looked, catching Sora by surprise as he somersaulted into the air and kicked Sora in his back. Sora went crashing onto the mat and ten orbs came flying out of him through the perspective of the AR device.

Kairi winced at the blow but continued clapping and cheering. "That's okay, that's okay! You got this, Sora!"

"Get him, Sora!" Haru chanted along with her.

Sora got back up to his feet and shook off the blow, returning to his battle stance. He charged at Neku once again and the two clashed bats in a string of intricate combos.

Snow looked at Kairi through his peripheral vision. She had her fists clenched and she clung to every movement the two opponents made. "You seem very... enthusiastic for this kid, sweetheart."

"Huh?" Kairi glared at him. "Please don't start."

He raised his hands defensively. "Just an observation."

Kairi rolled her eyes.

Riku watched the fight from backstage along with Roxas and Vanitas on one of the small monitors mounted on the wall. The former of the three had his arms crossed as he carefully dissected every wrong move and mistake Sora made.

"He's not taking his time like I told him to," Riku said. "He always wants to attack preemptively without any thought. It's like everything I say goes in one ear and out the other."

"A little harsh on him, don't you think?" Roxas asked, his hands in his pockets. "I think he's holding his own."

"Hm," was all Riku murmured in response.

Vanitas had his hands tied behind his head with a bored gaze. "Either way, the kid isn't making it to the second round."

"Oh, and I suppose you think you're gonna be the one to blaze to the top?" Roxas asked with half a smirk.

Vanitas returned the smirk. "Not like there's anyone who's gonna stop me."

"Well, then you better not underestimate Sora," Roxas said, returning his focus to the monitor where they bore witness to Sora delivering a swipe to Neku and getting five orbs in return. "He's not as weak as you think."

Sora leapt into the air with his bat held high above his head and came down with a slash of his own, but Neku dodge rolled out of the way and managed to rush towards Sora with a quick spinning move that would claim him another ten orbs.

Sora took a few steps back to catch his breath, eyeing the scoreboard on the monitor that revealed Neku with 104 orbs while Sora still had 96. With a minute remaining, he didn't have much time. He had to make a move quickly and decisively, especially considering he wasn't in the lead. There was the possibility Neku would try to keep his distance and wait for the time to run out.

As he predicted, Neku kept his distance. Sora had no choice but to rush at him once more.

Neku took a harder stance, making sure to keep his feet firmly planted on the ground in preparation to block whatever incoming attack Sora had next. He was thrown for a loop, however, when Sora's bat was hurled right past him. Neku turned around for a split second but before he could turn back, Sora had already caught his weapon, held it in reverse, and striked Neku with a piercing slash that was almost as quick as lightning, knocking out a solid fifty orbs for him to collect. Neku gagged and clutched his chest, falling to a single knee.

The crowd erupted at the unexpected but highly impressive display. With Sora able to gather a good portion of the scattered orbs, he was able to retake the lead by a decent margin with ten seconds remaining. The match was practically won.

"WOO HOOOOOO!" Kairi gave a round of applause along with an equally enthusiastic Haru, Amaya, and Xion.

"Okay, I know it's a little petty," Xion said, turning to Amaya with a cheeky grin, "but watching my brother beat the snot out of my ex-boyfriend is incredibly satisfying."

Meanwhile, Vanitas, Riku, and Roxas all watched the TV in a shared state of shock. "Whoa, he actually pulled off a zantetsuken," Roxas said in disbelief before forming a smile of his own. "What'd I tell you guys?"

"Guess I gotta hand it to the little squirt," Vanitas said. "Didn't think he had it in 'im."

Riku kept quiet.

Back out in the arena, Sora, who was still in his kneeled over position, stood up to his feet and turned around to look at Neku with a warm smile as if nothing happened. "Good game," he said.

Neku eyed Sora with disdain before looking up at the monitor to watch the countdown reach zero and the screen present a colorful "Winner" flashing brightly next to Sora's picture. With a sigh, he accepted defeat and nodded to Sora in a show of respect.

Selphie returned to the ring with a less than enthusiastic look on her face. She approached Sora and eyed him up and down. Sora simply kept his smile and shrugged, making her roll her eyes.

"Ugh. And your winner, Sora Valentine," Selphie said.

Sora waved at the crowd with both hands as they sent him a wealth of cheers and whistles. He hadn't felt that sort of adrenaline in a long time.

* * *

As the next match was about to start, Sora entered the backstage area to approach Riku, Roxas, and Vanitas.

"Nice going, man," Roxas congratulated. "You're going to the second round! I think it's worth noting that I was the only one here who believed in you, therefore I have automatic dibs on you treating us to sea salt ice cream after the tournament."

Sora chuckled. "Thanks, Roxas. Consider it done."

"Props to you, little bro," Vanitas said, passing Sora with a hand on his shoulder. "Enjoy it while you can, 'cause it'll take more than that if you end up meeting me next round."

"Am I supposed to be scared?" Sora challenged. "I'll hit you with all I've got."

Vanitas smirked and headed out to the stadium to have his match, as he was paired up with Wakka. Sora turned to Riku with a wide grin.

"So, what'd ya think?" Sora asked. "Pretty cool, huh? Looks like you kicking my butt all these years finally paid off!"

"Yeah." Riku put on a ghost of a smile before returning to a more serious expression. "Excuse me. I think I'll go squeeze in a bit more training before I'm up."

"Oh, well I'll go with you," Sora said.

"Nah, don't worry about it. Looks like you could use a breather."

Before Sora could protest, Riku had already turned the opposite direction and made his way towards the locker rooms. Sora slumped his shoulders with a pout tugging at his bottom lip. He turned to Roxas.

"Hey, Roxas? Have you noticed anything different with Riku lately?"

"Well, he seems focused," Roxas answered. "He probably just wants to keep his mind set on the tournament. You know how competitive he can be sometimes. Not that you're much better."

Sora thought it over for a moment. "...Yeah."

Roxas noticed the change in Sora's disposition and folded his arms. "Why do you ask? Is something going on?"

"Well, sort of..." he scratched his cheek bashfully. "He's been acting kinda strange ever since I told him about me and Kairi."

"You and Kairi?"

Sora rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, she asked me to hang out with her after the festival."

"So, she asked you out on a date," Roxas reasoned.

"No, not a date! It's a, uh... get together?"

"A get together, huh?" He rubbed his chin. "Well, Riku does have a thing for her. And we all know how rare that is for him. So, it's understandable if the idea rubs him the wrong way a little."

"I know," he sighed. "And the last thing I want is for us to get into a fight over something like that. He's been my best friend since we were elementary."

"What about you?"

"Huh?" Sora tilted his head. "What do you mean?"

"I'm asking how you feel about her."

"How I f-feel?"

Roxas shook his head but kept a smirk. "Just asking. It seems like you've got a thing for her and if you do, well, that definitely complicates things."

Sora dropped his head in embarrassment. He figured it would be no use trying to deny it. "Is it that obvious?"

"Pretty much." Roxas chuckled.

"I wonder if Kairi knows..."

Roxas had a strong hunch that she did, but for the sake of not wanting to get his friend's hopes up, he kept the tidbit of info secret for now until he discovered the truth for himself.

"Let's say, hypothetically speaking, Kairi ends up returning Riku's feelings and goes out with him," Roxas said. "What would you do?"

"Well, I'd just have to accept it and move on, right? If I care about Riku and Kairi, then I want what's best for both of them." Sora smiled. "As long as they're happy, I'm happy."

Roxas could tell Sora meant what he said. "And what if she, also hypothetically, had feelings for you instead of Riku? Then what?"

"Then... hmmm." Sora crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

"I don't think you need to think about it so hard. If you found out Kairi likes you, what would you want to do?"

"I'd... want to tell her how I feel."

"There you go."

"But what about Riku? Won't he be upset?" Sora averted his eyes and stared at his palm, his thoughts momentarily trailing to the Kingdom Key. "I know how he gets sometimes..."

"I'm sure he'll get over it. If Riku is upset about Kairi being with the person she wants to be with, and that person is you and not him, then he isn't your friend," Roxas said. "And I know for a fact that's not true. So, have a little faith in him. I'm sure if I asked him the same question he would've said the exact same thing you just said."

"You think so?"

Roxas nodded. "I know so."

"So, maybe it's okay if I hang out with Kairi," Sora said excitedly. "I mean, not that I'm expecting much out of it or anything, but... you know, it'll be nice." Sora raised an eyebrow when Roxas started laughing. "Hey, what's so funny?"

"Guess I've just never seen anyone take everyone else's feelings into consideration before themselves the way I have with you, Sora."

Sora smiled embarrassedly. "I can't help it sometimes."

"Don't worry. It's honestly refreshing."

Before their conversation could continue, they heard Selphie from outside.

"And the winner, to the surprise of absolutely no one, Vanitas Valentine!"

Soon, Sora's older brother returned backstage having barely broken a sweat as he approached the two with a cocky sneer. "And that, ladies and beta males, is how it is done."

"That was fast," Roxas observed.

"Yeah, well, only took me three minutes to snag all of that loser's orbs," Vanitas explained. "That right there is what you're up against, little bro. Sure you don't wanna back out while you still can?"

Sora tied his hands behind his head. "Not really. Man, it's a shame I wasn't paying attention to your match at all, Vani."

"Oh, so you got jokes now, huh?" Vanitas snarled, hooking his little brother by the neck. "We'll see how carefree you'll be when I squash ya."

Sora knew Vanitas was trying to intimidate him, but he wasn't going to let it work. The last match taught him that even though he wasn't expecting to win, he had a chance.

 _"But don't forget that_ I _believe in you too, okay?"_

This time, he wouldn't sell himself short.

Sora grinned. "We'll see about that."

_**Memories of Rivalries** _


	17. Memories of Trials

"Your winner, the devilishly handsome Riku Miyano!"

The crowd cheered as Riku stood in the middle of the ring looking over his defeated opponent, Braig. To the surprise of no one, Riku would be moving onto the second round after a fairly one-sided contest.

"WOO HOOOO!" Kairi cheered. "Go, Riku, go!"

Braig grunted as he used his struggle bat to hike himself up to his knees. "Shit..."

Riku hunched over and offered a hand. "You put up a good fight."

Braig eyed him before smacking it away. "So, now I'm s'posed to be pitied by the spoiled rich prick, huh? As if. You're nothin' without mommy's connections."

Riku didn't care to respond, but his expression was enough to let Braig know he hit a nerve. Braig eventually got to his feet and bumped shoulders with Riku on the way out of the ring. Riku came to his senses and waved to the crowd respectfully before entering the backstage area.

Sora noticed Riku entering backstage from down the hall. He raised his hand and was moments from calling out his name to congratulate his friend on his victory, but Riku didn't spare him or Roxas so much as a glance as he headed towards the locker rooms.

"Just give him some space, okay?" Roxas said in a comforting voice. "I'm sure he'll get over it."

"Yeah, I guess..."

"Afternoon, slackers," said a familiar voice. When Sora and Roxas craned their heads, they found Seifer approaching them with his usual smirk. "Glad you could make it, Sunspot."

Roxas put a fist to his hip. "Well, that makes one of us."

"Is this the part where you act like a jerk for no reason and tell us how you're so much better than us and leave?" Sora asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hmph," Seifer scoffed. "Actually, I was just thinking I'd let my actions do the talking for me this time."

The randomizer on the monitor outside displayed Seifer up against Tidus.

Seifer grinned. "Don't blink or you'll miss it."

* * *

"Up next, my beloved will be up against one of the top SOLDIER prospects, Seifer Almasy!"

Tidus began stretching out his limbs. "SOLDIER, huh? You sure you wanna throw your life away already before we even get to college? It's no good rushin' into things."

Seifer shook his head. "It's no rush if you already know what's the right thing to do. Unlike some people, I've got a good grasp of my own identity. All I know is that this geostigma needs to be handled and I'm just the man to do it."

Tidus didn't seem to be paying him much mind as he used his pinky finger to scratch his inner ear. "If you say so, dude."

Selphie started the countdown. "Three... two... one..."

"STRUGGLE!"

Seifer and Tidus began their clash with a series of blows, each evading and blocking the attempted strike of the other. It seemed as if the two were pretty evenly matched.

However, the longer the match went on for, the more it became clear who was the more skilled of the two. Seifer had been rigorously training for years and was one of the top potential recruits for SOLDIER in the world. It was beginning to become clear that Tidus was outmatched.

Tidus started slowing down, the fatigue visible on his face. Seifer, being the opportunist that he was, smirked when he noticed and went in for the kill. He used his foot to kick Tidus on the side of his ankle, putting him to his knees before finishing him off with a slash that would extract the rest of Tidus's orbs.

When the screen above proclaimed Seifer as the winner, there was a slightly delayed reaction before the crowd erupted. Selphie looked as if she had seen a ghost. All of that effort put into his introduction, how much she and his father expected of him, and how much she was cheering him on, she expected him to at least make it to the third round.

She casted her devastation aside momentarily and entered the ring. "And, um... your winner is Seifer Almasy."

Seifer looked up to the crowd, calm but arrogant, as he made his way into the back area. Selphie couldn't take her eyes away from her boyfriend, who was still having trouble getting back up to his feet. With reluctance, she helped him to his feet before Wakka rushed onto the scene to take over for her and help his exhausted best friend into the back.

Further in the stands, Naminé and the others were filled with mixed reactions. Some found it unsurprising while others, such as Kairi and Xion, found having to stomach Seifer winning anything at all to be an unpleasant outcome.

"Well, guess I can't say I'm surprised," Demyx yawned, stretching out his arms before clasping them behind his head as he leaned back into his chair. "Seriously, when does Seifer _not_ get to the finals?"

"Looks like the Tidster didn't live up to the hype, after all," Axel said.

Naminé was left feeling uncertain of her own emotions. In her head, Tidus was a guy who had led her on, giving her a false sense of security with his affection and compatibility when he was fooling around with another girl all the while.

So, why did she feel bad for him?

She was pulled from her thoughts when the monitor showcased the upcoming match. It seemed as if it would be Saïx up against Kain.

"Now, that's what I'm talkin' about," Axel cheered as he clapped. "Knock 'em dead, buddy!"

* * *

Sora and Roxas watched the ensuing fight between Saïx and Kain on one of the monitors. Kain dished out powerful but quick physical attacks while Saïx delivered slower but equally heavy and powerful strikes.

"This one's close," Sora observed. Roxas nodded.

"I can't believe you," said a voice. It stole Roxas and Sora's attention from the fight to find Tidus sitting on a bench next to Wakka a short distance further down the hallway. He had a towel draped across the back of his neck while Selphie stood above them with her arms crossed. "The first round? Really? How could you totally embarrass me like that? I had that big introduction planned for you only to watch you get taken out in less than five minutes?"

Tidus kept his eyes closed, the smallest vein bulging from his temple. "And who's fault is that?"

Selphie sent a glare worth a thousand blades. "Well, excuse me for putting too much faith in you. _You_ were the one acting like you're some sort of pro. Do you realize how humiliating it is that my boyfriend wasn't good enough to make it past the first round? I paid for your entire advertising campaign out of my own pocket."

"Yo, Selph," Wakka said, raising his hands. "Chill, will you? It's not that serious."

"I don't remember inviting you into this discussion, Wakka. How about you do what you do best and play the supporting role of a sidekick?"

"Whoa, hey man," Wakka said, rising to his feet. "I'm gettin' pretty tired of you pushin' me around, Selph. What's a brudda gotta do for you to show 'im some respect, ya?"

"Ahem!" Sora said, pretending to clear his throat, catching their attention. "Say, uh, Selphie? I think you might be needed somewhere."

Roxas pointed to the monitor above that displayed the timer reaching zero with Saïx standing above Kain victoriously as the crowd went into a frenzy. Selphie narrowed her eyes at all of them before marching her way back into the arena with a tight grip around her microphone. Soon, the boys heard her speak to the crowd with a voice that sounded as if her foul mood had evaporated in record time.

"Your winner in what had to be one of the most thrilling matches that had me totally invested from start to finish, Isa Sato!"

A silence enveloped the four of them before Sora did the honors of breaking it. "You did your best out there, Tidus. Don't beat yourself up over it."

"I appreciate it, Sora, I really do. So, don't take this the wrong way or anything... but you're wrong," Tidus said. "I didn't give it my best. I've been trying so hard for so long to put on a brave face and act like I'm the man in charge. But when I stepped into the ring and the match started, I just... didn't care anymore."

As Wakka patted his best friend on the back, Sora and Roxas exchanged brief glances, both equally unsure what to make of the situation. "Hey, Tidus. You don't look so good," Roxas said upon observation. "Are you okay?"

Tidus sighed before getting up to his feet. "I don't know." The life in his eyes seemed to fade out before he shook himself back into reality. "Just remember what I said about Naminé. She's an awesome girl."

Roxas acknowledged him with a nod. After a pause, Tidus made his way towards the locker rooms.

"Hey," Sora called out. "Whatever's bothering you, Tidus, we're here for you. You don't have to go through it alone."

Tidus stopped, turning to give Sora a slight smile. "Thanks, Sora. I'll keep that in mind."

Once Tidus was gone, Wakka sighed and rose to his feet as well. "I don't wanna be puttin' Tidus's business out there, but let's just say he's got a lotta stuff goin' on back home, ya? He was hopin' competing in the tourney would take his mind away from it, but it looks like that was just wishful thinkin'. Even worse, Selph hasn't exactly been, eh... supportive."

Sora and Roxas nodded understandably. "I know we're not exactly super close or anything," Roxas said. "But we've got your back."

Wakka grinned. "'Preciate it, bruddas. Good luck to you both in the tournament."

Soon, Sora and Roxas were left alone to ponder. "What do you think happened?" Sora asked.

Roxas crossed his arms. He wasn't sure, but he had a bad feeling.

* * *

Naminé had her hands folded in her lap as she watched the ongoing bout between Lexaeus and Yozora. She would have been lying if she said she was particularly invested in the match. Though, she couldn't quite say the same for Axel.

"C'mon, Lex! Rep the Nocturnes like Saïx and kick his ass! Don't be a little cock guzzler!" The unusual and inappropriate response earned Axel a few looks of both confusion and disgust from many of the fellow spectators surrounding him.

Larxene gave her boyfriend a hard glare. "Really?"

"Hey, blame me for havin' a unique and colorful vocabulary at my disposal. 'Course, there's nothin' really wrong with bein' able to guzzle a good cock."

"Can we _please_ not have this discussion right now?" Amaya begged, covering her little sister's ears.

Unsurprisingly, the only applicant Naminé cared to see was Roxas. She was interested to see how far Sora and Riku would go as well and she certainly didn't wish to see them fail, but ultimately, she knew who she was rooting for.

She only wished she had the courage to speak to him before the tournament. As much as she wanted to see him earlier when Axel offered her a backstage pass, she could feel her father's eyes drilling holes into her with a great amount of surveillance. She was convinced her father had some sort of grudge against Roxas. It must have played a part in why Roxas had been acting a tad strange. It didn't help that her general anxiety had gotten the best of her as well.

Was she being self-centered again? Her anxiety was once again beginning to take its toll. Things had been awkward between her and Roxas ever since the start of the festival. He had become more distant and it was beginning to make her turn resentful of him as well. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. They patched things up a little bit yesterday but it still wasn't the same and she wanted things to go back to how they were before. She wanted to clear the air between them and let him know that she still considered him a friend she could trust. Her mind wandered and eventually it led to her fishing the backstage pass given to her earlier from her back pocket. Though she knew her heart would beat in her chest and she would hardly breathe, she knew what she had to do.

She would find Roxas and they would talk.

Snow spared her the briefest of glances before returning his attention to the match. Still, his mind remained focused on Naminé.

Naminé put the pass in her pocket and let out a low sigh.

 _You can do this, you can do this, you can do this,_ she thought to herself.

"You okay?" Kairi's voice freed her from her own thoughts.

"Oh. Yes, I am," Naminé answered. She stood from her seat and was prepared to squeeze her way through the aisle. "Excuse me."

Snow's eyes sharply pointed in Naminé's direction. "Where are you going?"

Naminé froze. "Um... to the bathroom?"

"Oh, sounds good. I'll escort you."

Naminé bit her lip. "O-Oh, okay..."

"Uh, Dad," Kairi interjected. "You know, Naminé isn't four-years-old anymore. I think she's fully capable of using the restroom by herself, don't you think?"

"I know that," Snow said, rising from his seat. "But better to be safe than sorry. You never know what kind of psychopath is out there lurking to prey on a girl by themselves."

Kairi furrowed her eyebrows. "But—"

"End of discussion, Kairi."

Kairi rolled her eyes as Naminé and Snow squeezed past the others and headed towards the restrooms. She looked back and noticed a dejected-looking Naminé making her way up the stairs with their father trailing behind. The good news was that she had a hunch that her sister wanted to go see Roxas. The bad news was that she was certain that her father knew, too, and he went out of his way to throw a wrench in Naminé's plans. Her thoughts were interrupted by Selphie's ear-piercing voice.

"And your winner, the man, the myth, the legend: Yoooozora!"

Yozora stood in the ring with his struggle bat resting at his side, looking at the scoreboard of his two-hundred orbs to Lexaeus's zero with focus and intensity.

"Aww, come on!" Axel whined. "He should've been called out on, like, five technicals! Rigged, I tell ya."

* * *

Naminé stared at herself in the mirror after she finished washing her hands just for the sake of it. It wasn't like she had any real need to use the bathroom and even if she did, public bathrooms grossed her out. Overall, it was a complete waste of time and left the restroom in an even more bitter mood than when she entered. Her father was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Done?" Snow asked out of courtesy.

Rather than an answer, Snow received nothing but a cold silence.

"Something the matter?" he asked.

"A few days ago when you asked me to leave the car so that you could talk to Roxas," Naminé said, wanting to get straight to the point. "What did you say to him?"

Snow's gaze didn't waver. "I told you, I just asked him some questions about Cloud."

"I'm sorry, but... I'm having a hard time believing that, Dad."

Snow narrowed his eyes. "What exactly does that matter to you?"

"He's been acting strange ever since that day. I just have a slight feeling you were talking about a bit more to him than just his father that day."

"Hmph. I knew it."

"Knew what?"

"That you and that boy had something going on."

And thus, Naminé's suspicions were finally confirmed. Snow _did_ say something to Roxas and whatever it was, it must have scared Roxas enough to make him feel like he had to keep his distance from Naminé in order to not upset her father. The thought of it made her blood boil. Just what did Snow take her for? An impressionable child? She was beginning to understand why Kairi never put up with his foolishness.

"What are you talking about? He's my friend," Naminé said, raising her voice much to the surprise of Snow. "So, now I can't have friends?"

"That's not what I said. But I've always told you to be careful with who you allow into your circle. You never know who might end up hurting you."

"What makes you think Roxas would hurt me? It doesn't seem like you've even taken the time to get to know him."

"Oh, and I suppose you have?"

"Yes, I have. And he's a good person who doesn't deserve to have you hounding over him."

"I see." Snow began rubbing his chin. "Tell me, when did you have the time to get to know Strife considering you're supposedly in the house all the time? Was it at the dinner party where you two seemed awfully close already? Or was it the time you told me you'd be taking a nap instead of watching a movie? Funny how I ended up going into your room to find you absent."

Naminé's lips parted momentarily before she gulped. "You... went into my room that day?"

"Or maybe it was the time I came home to find that empty pizza box you claimed Kairi picked up for you? Or maybe it was at that party you and your sister went to without my permission where you supposedly didn't meet any boys? Yet Roxas informed me that's where you two first met. Care to elaborate on any of these?"

Naminé lowered her head. "I'm... not entirely sure what you want me to say..."

"Then it's just as I thought," Snow concluded. "This kid has had you lying to my face and going behind my back without a trace of guilt—I expect this sort of behavior from your sister, but it's something I never thought I'd have to deal with you. Not to mention you've kept your supposed 'friendship' with him a secret from me... and you expect me to trust him? Just like that? I'm sorry, Naminé, but that's not how this works."

"I... I see where you're coming from," Naminé admitted. "I just know how paranoid you can get. I didn't want you to get the wrong idea. But I promise you, Roxas isn't a bad person."

"Never said he was. But you have to understand who he is, Naminé. Regardless of how you or I feel about him, he's the son of Cloud Strife. He's a target. He might not break your heart, but if you get too close to him, you'll get hurt."

"What? Roxas isn't the kind of person you think he is and maybe if you just gave him a chance to prove that you'd—"

"That won't be necessary. Listen, I'm not saying you can't hang out with him. But I am saying that you should keep a healthy distance. And _don't_ let it escalate any further than friendship. End of discussion."

A silence formed between them aside from the cicadas chirping in the background. After a pregnant pause, Naminé opened her mouth.

"Okay."

* * *

When Snow and Naminé returned to the stands, they saw Penelo standing in the middle of the ring across from a defeated Lauriam, the timer at zero.

"Your winner, our sole female competitor—Penelo Kozawa!" Selphie cheered as she clapped enthusiastically. "You go, girl!"

Penelo gave the crowd a shy wave, hardly believing she came out victorious herself. But it was a hard fought victory that lasted the entire ten minutes. Out of good sportsmanship, she helped Lauriam up to his feet and gave him his respect.

Naminé and Snow squeezed back into their seats. Unfortunately for Kairi, Naminé didn't look any happier. The stern and irritable aura surrounding Snow made her think something must have happened.

"Everything go okay?" Claire asked, though she clearly seemed suspicious as well.

"Just dandy." Snow didn't blink.

Claire didn't buy that for a split second, but she wasn't in the mood to argue.

"Well, folks, it looks like it's time for the final match of the first round!" Selphie announced. "Which means it'll be that one kid nobody cares about versus Roxas by default!"

"Okay, I should be legally allowed to smack her, right?" Xion asked with blatant sarcasm, leaning her elbow on Amaya's shoulder.

Meanwhile backstage, Roxas hesitated. It had been years since he stepped into a ring to compete in a struggle tournament, let alone had a training partner to spar with. The worst part of it was that he was forcing himself to do something he didn't want to do. Fighting was something Roxas hadn't enjoyed for a while, even if it was meant to be just a friendly competition. But if this would be his ticket to accomplish his goals, he had no choice but to push his way through it.

"You're gonna do great," Sora said, breaking him from his thoughts. Roxas turned around to find Sora giving him a big smile.

Though, Roxas's performance was the least of his worries. He had confidence in himself and his own abilities. But how long could he maintain control of those? Nonetheless, he didn't want to seem unappreciative of Sora's encouragement and smiled in return.

Roxas stepped out into the stadium and was once again refamiliarized with the abundant crowd in attendance. Many fans began lifting their Cloud Strife posters and T-Shirts at the arrival of his son. He realized that whatever happened next would be televised across stations all across Destiny Islands. Surely everyone he knew would be watching. Roxas sighed. He couldn't wait for it to be over.

"WOO HOOOOOO! KNOCK 'EM DEAD, ROX!" Kairi cheered.

"Yeah! Knock dead, Rox!" Haru repeated after Kairi.

"That's... not how the expression goes, baby," Amaya said gently to a confused Haru.

"You better not lose, buddy!" Axel added.

Kairi looked over to find her sister's eyes trained on Roxas intently as he approached and entered the ring. Kairi was quick to nudge Naminé while suggestively clicking her tongue, earning her a glare accompanied by flushed cheeks. Xion shot a brief glance at their exchange before returning her attention back to Roxas.

Vaan was already in the ring waiting for Roxas with his hands tied behind his head. He went over to Roxas and extended a hand.

"Hey, I'm Vaan," he introduced. "Do me a favor and try not to forget about me? Please?"

Roxas chuckled, giving Vaan a firm shake. "Don't worry, Vaan. I won't forget you. If it makes you feel any better, it's not just you. Selphie is a jerk to everybody."

Vaan gave an appreciative smile. "Yeah, it kinda helps." He began stretching his limbs. "Either way, it'll be an honor going up against the son of Cloud. But I gotta let ya know that I'm not pulling my punches! Not if I wanna be a sky pirate."

Roxas's eyes widened. "A sky pirate?"

Vaan nodded. "Yeah. Gonna use that prize munny to snag myself an airship. I'll be free to go wherever I will. So, I'm sorry, but I can't hold back."

While Roxas had no real desire to be a sky pirate, the idea wasn't so different from his own dream. With a soft, whimsical smile he chuckled to himself before getting into his own battle stance, which was very similar to Sora's. "Welp, may the best man win."

Vaan got into his own stance as well. All eyes were on them.

Selphie started the countdown. "Three... two... one..."

"STRUGGLE!"

Vaan made a dash towards Roxas, letting out a battle cry all the while. Roxas didn't budge. Roxas had a way of slowing things down to read the situation and his opponent. With the way Vaan had his struggle bat trailing behind him, Roxas could predict that Vaan was planning on a downwards slash.

When his prediction proved correct, Roxas leapt onto his back to avoid the incoming slash before kipping himself back up to his feet and delivering an overhead slash of his own, knocking a good amount of orbs away from Vaan.

"Whoa, nice move!" Demyx said.

Vaan got back to his feet and shook the blow off. Roxas had just finished gathering his orbs and didn't hesitate to rush towards Vaan with his bat in tow. Vaan was caught off-guard by Roxas's sudden aggression but did what he could in parrying every single one of Roxas's attempts. Even still, he had a difficult time keeping up with him and Roxas left little room for an opening.

"He's rather aggressive," Claire observed, loud enough for only Snow to hear. Snow folded his burly arms and watched with a great amount of scrutiny.

It seemed both surreal and inevitable to Naminé to finally be watching Roxas fight. He had been hailed as one of the island's best despite him having not competed in years. She could see why. It seemed like Vaan didn't stand a chance as Roxas practically manhandled him for minutes without getting touched.

Xion watched the fight with worry bubbling in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't afraid of Roxas losing—more so of what he was capable of.

In the midst of Roxas's barrage of attacks, he was able to connect a few of them and gathered the orbs with a quick roll before zipping back to Vaan without giving him a second to recover. Eventually, Roxas was able to back Vaan to the corner of the ring and at long last, Roxas stepped back to give Vaan a chance to breathe.

And before Roxas lost control.

Vaan, already exhausted with having to stay on the defense the entire time, fell to a single knee. He used his struggle bat for support, the only thing keeping him from falling onto the mat face first.

"I can't..." Vaan said to himself. With a newfound resolve, Vaan was able to help himself up to his feet and got back into his stance, but Roxas could see he was still exhausted.

Roxas felt there was no need to prolong this any further than necessary and finished Vaan off with a spinning strike that knocked him out of bounds, falling back first into the luscious spades of grass that surrounded the ring.

"Your winner, doing his father proud in spirit, Roxas Strife!"

Roxas felt his heart clench at the mention of his father. Was he really making him proud? When the crowd erupted, Roxas was a tad overwhelmed by the sheer vivacity of their praise and adoration. That rush, the adrenaline, the excitement—he had forgotten this feeling.

His friends in the stands varied from going wild with cheers to offering a respectful round of applause themselves (save for Larxene and Snow).

"Now _that's_ how it's done!" Axel hollared.

Naminé looked at Roxas on the giant monitor, taking in his almost stunned expression before it settled into a look of contentment. She was unable to resist her own smile. It was surreal but nice seeing him step out of his comfort zone. In a way, it was similar to how he helped her step out of her own comfort zone.

Roxas turned around and rushed over to Vaan along with Penelo who hurried from the backstage area, both of them helping the poor boy up to his feet.

"You okay?" Penelo asked.

Vaan grunted. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just accepting the fact that my dreams'll have to wait, I guess." He chuckled humorlessly and extended a hand to Roxas. "Congratulations. You earned it."

Roxas smiled at him. "You remind me of myself in a lot of ways."

Vaan and Penelo were both caught off-guard by that one. "O-Oh... yeah? That's a real honor!" Vaan said.

"Tell you what," Roxas said. "If I win this tournament, I'll take you to the skies myself. How's that sound?"

Penelo and Vaan both exchanged a brief look of excitement. "A-Are you serious? Yeah, that'd be awesome!"

"It's a deal."

* * *

"All right, folks, that concludes the first round!" Selphie announced. "Things are already starting to spice up. Let's see who has what it takes to make it to the third round!"

"Looks like all our boys are moving on to the second round," Kairi said with a surplus amount of enthusiasm.

"Yaaaay!" Haru cheered along with her.

"'Scuse me," Axel said. "Aren't you forgettin' someone?"

"No offense to him, but Aeleus is _your_ boy, Lea," Xion said.

"That's _Axel_ and _Lexaeus_ ," Axel corrected. "Seriously. It's not that friggin' hard, Xi."

"To start, we'll have our first two winners duke it out for the first match," Selphie continued. The pictures of the two challengers appeared on the monitor: Sora and Vanitas.

"Well, this oughta be good," Axel said. "So, who're we all rootin' for to make it past the first round?"

"Sora!" Kairi announced, raising her arm like a student in class.

"Me too!" Haru said, mimicking Kairi.

Kairi gave Haru a sly look. "Actually, I lied. I've been rooting for Vanitas this whole time."

Haru looked at her with astonishment and disappointment. She retrieved her PuPu doll, who had been sitting next to her the majority of the show, and focused on it with a deep fixation as if they were once again communicating telepathically. It looked like Haru didn't know what to do with Kairi rooting for someone different from herself.

Kairi laughed at the intense look in Haru's eyes and was quick to hug the little girl, smushing her against her side. "Just kidding you! Of course I'm rooting for Sora!"

"Same here," Xion said. "This tournament means a lot to him. I can't root against my own brother, you know?"

"But I thought Vanitas was your brother, too?" Kairi asked, releasing Haru.

"Screw him," Xion deadpanned, making the others chuckle. "As far as I'm concerned, Vani could use an ego check. I honestly think losing would do him more good than harm."

"How about you, 'Maya?" Kairi asked.

"Also Team Sora!" Amaya said. "Like Xion said, Sora has worked so hard for this. I'm really rooting for him to pull through the whole tourney. I'd also hope him calling to interrupt my study time just to tell me how many reps he did during training wasn't a complete waste of _my_ time, too," she joked, making the others laugh.

"Geez, what is this, the Sora fanclub?" Axel riffed. "Not rootin' against the guy or anythin' myself, but for pete's sake, how about a little variety, eh?"

Xion rolled her eyes. "So, you're saying you're rooting for Vani, Lea?"

"I didn't say that," Axel said curtly.

Once the conversation died down, they realized Sora and Vanitas stood face to face in the ring, Sora with a face full of resolve while Vanitas wore a grim brimming with overconfidence as he slung his bat across his shoulders.

"No hard feelings, little bro," Vanitas began, stretching his shoulder blades. "But all good things must come to an end."

Sora grinned. "Ha! Took the words right out of my mouth."

"Just don't get your hopes up. Remember all those times we used to spar? I can count on one hand how many you actually won. What makes you think this time'll be any different?"

Sora felt his grip on his struggle bat loosen before he shook his head from his thoughts and tightened his hold. "If I can do it once, I can do it again. Try not to get too cocky, Vani." He got into his battle stance.

"Always an optimist." Vanitas rolled his eyes as he got into his own stance. "Well, can't say I didn't warn ya."

"Don't count me out yet," Sora reminded, flashing his grin. "You might be surprised."

Vanitas smirked. "Oh, I hope so."

"It's time, folks," Selphie spoke into her microphone as the timer started counting down. "Brother vs. brother. One a super hot bad boy, the other a total dweeb with zero sex appeal—"

"Hey!"

"—who will come out on top? Well, we'll only find out when they... say it with me, now..."

"STRUGGLE!"

Neither Sora or Vanitas made any sudden movements. The two of them sparred together far too many times and were quite familiar with the other's battle style, making them sure to tread with caution.

Still, Vanitas thought little of Sora's abilities and was the first to strike, zipping towards him with a barrage of slashes. For a while, Sora was able to keep up with Vanitas and guard most of his attacks, but Vanitas had a reputation for his quickness. There were times when Vanitas would be in the middle of dishing out blows when suddenly he would appear above Sora with an unexpected downwards slash just to catch him off-guard.

As most expected, Vanitas had the upper hand from the jump and practically manhandled his little brother. He was stronger, faster, and more aggressive. When Vanitas knocked Sora up into the air before delivering a spinning attack in midair, he offered a cocky sneer.

"Man, Vanitas is pretty aggressive, huh?" Axel observed.

"C'mon, Sora!" Kairi cheered. "You can do it!"

Sora was quick to get back to his feet. He briefly glanced at the score with Sora's 54 orbs to his brother's 118 with the rest still scattered across the ring according to the AR Device.

"Why don'tcha just quit while you still can?" Vanitas taunted.

Sora clenched his teeth. "I bet you'd like that!"

Sora rushed towards Vanitas with an attempt to deliver another strike, but when he felt nothing but air, he opened his eyes to find that Vanitas wasn't there. Rather, he was leaning his elbow against Sora's shoulder to his left.

"Too slow."

Before Sora could react, Vanitas whacked him upside the head and knocked Sora a few feet, sending him rolling towards the edge of the ring. Vanitas walked towards him, slowly and confidently, as Sora gradually rose to his feet.

"Guess this is the end of the road, brother," he said. "I'll make it quick."

Vanitas intended to finish Sora off with a devastating blow, but Sora found the will to guard it with both hands on his struggle bat. Vanitas used the brunt of his strength to power down, but Sora wouldn't give up without a fight. He found an opening and countered Vanitas with a quick upwards slash that knocked Vanitas into the air. Sora took advantage of his opportunity to leap towards him and deliver a flurry of combos, resulting in Sora being able to gather a wealth of orbs.

When Vanitas crashed into the mat, Sora landed gracefully on his feet. "Hey, you might want to wait to gloat until you've actually won the match, you know?"

"Tch." Vanitas rubbed the side of his mouth and rolled back to his feet. "You're lucky we can't use magic in these things, or else you'd be dead meat."

Without giving Sora a moment to respond, Vanitas lunged at his brother, but Sora leapt into the air and stepped on Vanitas's head before plunging himself away. Vanitas felt his cheeks red with frustration at what he perceived as an action of disrespect and hurled his struggle bat towards Sora in an attempt to perform a Strike Raid.

When Sora landed, he immediately sensed the struggle bat closing in on him and rolled backwards in what looked to be a reverse dodge roll and thrusted himself backwards, contorting his body in midair so that he was facing Vanitas.

Vanitas was wide-eyed. His struggle bat was still far from his grasp and was in the middle of returning to him, but it left him wide open and defenseless, giving Sora the perfect opportunity to finish Vanitas off with a resounding thwack of his bat. Vanitas was knocked to the mat while Sora landed rather stylishly.

The timer ran out with the score at 156 orbs to 38.

As per usual, the crowd went nuts at what was a very climactic finish and cheered the underdog winner of the match. Selphie stood at ringside with her jaw dropped, needing one of the referees to nudge her on the shoulder to snap her out of it.

"Ahem, and uh... your winner, Sora Valentine?"

"WOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Kairi cheered, jumping out of her seat along with dozens of other nearby fans. Haru was quick to follow in Kairi's footsteps while Xion and Amaya shared an enthusiastic hug. "YOU GO, SORA!"

"That was pretty ballsy, even I gotta admit," Axel said.

Sora had been so swept up in the moment that he nearly forgot where he was. But once the adrenaline in his system settled, he was able to remember what just transpired and that he had indeed won the match. He did it. For the first time ever, Sora was moving on to the third round of a struggle tournament.

Sora beamed from ear to ear before punching the air and twirling his struggle bat in his hand before resting it on his shoulders. He then remembered his brother whose back was still planted on the mat.

Vanitas murmured as he held his ribcage. He lost. Not only did he lose, but he lost to a shrimp like his little brother. He struggled lifting himself up, but ceased struggling when he saw a hand enter his line of sight. With clenched teeth, his eyes elevated to find the source to be, inevitably, Sora, with a toothy grin. "I told you that you might be surprised."

Vanitas initially grunted, ready to reject Sora's pathetic display of showmanship and call him a loser as he always did, before letting out a sigh, accepting defeat as he took his brother's hand and allowed him to lift him up.

Vanitas, a few inches taller than Sora, looked down at his brother with indifference before a smirk tugged at his lips. "Not bad. For a pipsqueak."

Sora furrowed his eyebrows. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

In actuality, Vanitas wasn't as disappointed in the outcome as he let on. While his ego got the best of him for a bit, he wanted his brother to do well in the tournament. Vanitas was well aware of Sora's job as the chosen wielder of the Kingdom Key and he knew his brother would have to step up if he was to become a leader. This was a small first step.

Maybe he really did have it in him.

* * *

Back at the Training Hall, Aqua and Squall watched Sora on the television. Aqua couldn't help but giggle as Sora did his victory pose.

"I'd say he's come a long way," Aqua said. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Squall took an elongated sip from his coffee. "We'll see how far he goes."

Aqua rolled her eyes. Before she could retort, the two Masters heard the door behind them open and in came Master Xehanort with his usual hunched over posture, his hands tied behind his back.

Squall immediately stood from his seat as both he and Aqua gave a respectful bow.

"Master Xehanort," Aqua addressed. "What brings you to the Hall?"

"Believe it or not, I came to see you," Xehanort answered, catching Aqua by surprise. When his eyes caught sight of Sora on the TV, who was still waving to the capacity crowd, he grinned. "Aqua, as his appointed master, I'd like to inquire of you about a matter involving Sora."

* * *

On their way to the back area, Sora and Vanitas came across Roxas with his eyes glued to one of the TVs. Roxas turned around when he heard their footsteps.

"You two put on a show! Congrats, Sora," Roxas said. "How's it feel making it to the third round?"

"It feels pretty good." Sora smiled.

"Yeah, well, enjoy it while you can, 'cause I'll be needin' my rematch next year," Vanitas said.

Sora chuckled as he tied his hands behind his head. "You really wanna lose again _that_ badly?"

"Okay, you little shit." Vanitas turning on his heel with a hand in his pocket. "I gave you your props. Now, lemme get away from you before I end up decking you in the jaw."

"Hey, where are you going?" Sora asked.

Vanitas didn't respond. He simply kept moving forward while sending both of them a middle finger.

"He took that better than I expected," Roxas said with a laugh.

"So, have you seen Riku around?" Sora asked.

Roxas shook his head. "On the bright side, it doesn't seem like it's just you. He's been avoiding everybody today. Guess he's just not in a talkative mood."

That didn't really make Sora feel much better.

"It can only get better from here, folks," Selphie said, her voice catching their attention. "Up next, we've got Riku versus Isa! The wealthy playboy goes toe to toe with the Luna Diviner! Let's see who's got what it takes."

Roxas furrowed his brows. "Hey, you know whoever wins this match is the one you're gonna have to—"

"I know," Sora cut off.

They soon witnessed Riku enter the ring along with Saïx, both of them with their struggle bats ready. As usual, Selphie counted down and the match began, the two clashed their weapons.

Sora watched Riku carefully. His technique seemed flawless, his smooth transition into each move made it seem like he was performing an intricate dance with the struggle bat as an accessory. On top of Riku's natural talent, he had a much higher devotion to training than Sora. Yet, the Keyblade chose him and not Riku. He couldn't fathom why even if he tried.

Riku fought with patience, keeping himself guarded and waited for openings to strike. He was easily able to handle Isa, who used his tenacity and rage to bully his opponents. But against an adept and skilled fighter like Riku, it was futile. It only took five minutes for Riku to claim all 200 orbs and be declared the winner.

"The victor, Riku Miyano!" Selphie said as she rushed into the ring, raising Riku's arm.

Roxas looked over to Sora and watched as a lump went down his throat. It looked as if a million things were running through Sora's head. Roxas closed his eyes, putting on an amused but understanding smirk before placing his hand on Sora's shoulder.

"Hey, no worries," Roxas said.

Sora did his best to keep his composure as he acknowledged Roxas with a nod.

"Right."

Time wore on and the two friends stuck by each other to watch the final match before Roxas's inevitable clash with Seifer. It was Panelo up against Yozora on the monitor.

The match didn't take long. Panelo fell to the mat. With six minutes to spare, Yozora had already claimed 190 orbs with Panelo herself only having ten of her own. She winced and grunted as she tried to get back up to her feet.

"Sorry. But I don't lose," Yozora said as he walked towards her, ready to deliver the final blow.

Panelo felt her arms give out and she dropped back to the mat. She gave it her all, but Yozora was just on another level. She braced herself for the strike Yozora would dish out to her in order to claim the victory.

"Your winner, Yozora!"

Selphie raised Yozora's hand but he seemed unfazed.

"That guy seems tough," Sora observed. "We should probably be careful."

Roxas didn't say anything, but nodded. His first goal was to win the match he had ahead of him. He already knew who his opponent was.

"It's time for the final match of the second round, folks," Selphie said as Yozora exited the ring. "You've all been waiting for it: Roxas versus Seifer!"

Roxas began stretching his limbs. "Guess it's time to put on a show."

Sora smiled. "You're gonna do great."

Roxas returned a grin, but it turned into a look of surprise when he heard a voice from behind him.

"Hey!"

When Roxas turned around, the last person he thought he would see was Tifa rushing towards him.

"Mom?" Roxas said. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Tifa said, slightly out of breath. "You should've seen my face when you first popped on TV. I tried calling you but you wouldn't pick up."

Roxas shrugged. "We're not allowed to have our phones."

Tifa bumped her fists to her sides. "Just what exactly do you think you're doing entering a tournament like this?"

Roxas gave a sheepish grin. "Since I learned there was a 10,000 munny prize pool. With that kind of munny, I'll finally be able to do something I've always wanted to do."

"Oh, speaking of the munny," Tifa interrupted. "I wanted to—"

"Will Roxas Strife and Seifer Almasy please step into the ring at this time?" Selphie asked.

Tifa pursed her lips. "Are you sure about this?"

Roxas gave her a thumbs up. "Relax, Mom. I'll be okay."

Roxas being okay wasn't one of her worries. But for the sake of their limited time, Tifa nodded and offered an apologetic smile. "I'll be here when you get back. Good luck."

Roxas acknowledged her with a nod and made his way out into the arena.

"Oh, hi Sora," Tifa greeted, quick to offer a respectful bow. "Sorry for not addressing you earlier."

Sora didn't seem to take it to heart and smiled, giving a small wave. "Hey, Ms. Tif—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Sora felt a thumping pulsation in his head. He swung his hand to his forehead.

_With his small hand, Sora twisted the knob of a wooden door to reveal an environment unfamiliar to him. It was nothing like his island; it was a small village with wooden houses and barrels situated next to the entrances. The ground was made up of sand with weeds occasionally popping out of the ground._

_Where was he? He was just looking at Tifa in the backstage area of the struggle arena just a moment ago._

" _Cloud!"_

_He heard the voice of a little girl and he looked to his left to find her waving at him, wearing a white dress. Sora looked ahead, though he didn't feel in control of his own movements. It was as if his body were being possessed._

" _Are you ignoring me!?"_

_It was only then when Sora was allowed to give her a closer look. Long black hair cascaded down her face and her furrowed red eyes looked at him in frustration._

_It was definitely a younger Tifa Lockhart._

"Hey, are you okay?" Tifa asked, pulling Sora back into the present. When Sora returned to his senses, the young Tifa's face was replaced by the Tifa he was familiar with, though she looked less frustrated and more concerned about his well-being.

Sora shook his head. It was another one of those weird visions he had been having as of late, and this time, it was Tifa that triggered it. Was it another memory?

"Sora?" Tifa asked once again.

"Oh, y-yeah... sorry." Sora rubbed the back of his head. "I'm just... a little woozy, I guess."

"You'd better get some rest, okay? Especially if you have a match coming up soon in the third round."

Sora nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

* * *

Roxas wasn't sure how it came to this.

One day he was, at best, indifferent towards any sort of competition that had to deal with a manner of violence. The next, he stood face-to-face with the guy who's been hounding him to join SOLDIER for months.

Selphie continued her spiel. "It's time, ladies and gentlemen, for the highly anticipated matchup between the prince of the Strife family name and one of the top scouts for SOLDIER recruitment: Seifer! Three... two... one..."

"STRUGGLE!"

Seifer smirked with his struggle bat leaned across his shoulders. "I've been waitin' for this for a long, long time. It's about time you stepped into the ring with the big boys."

"Big boys, huh? Well, you know what they say about those who overcompensate."

Seifer scoffed. "Always the jokester. You're just a pathetic little shrimp who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. No wonder you're too spoiled to care about the safety of the universe. I guess I shouldn't have expected much from you in the first place."

"I told you... it's not for me."

"You're right, you have told me. And frankly, I'm gettin' real sick of it. You've been holdin' out on us, Rox. Haven't even seen you with that Oathkeeper and Oblivion in years. Guess any gift from your old man doesn't mean that much to ya, does it?"

Seifer began taking slow, calculating steps with a fist attached to his hip. He smirked as he could tell by the scowl on Roxas's face that he was getting under his skin.

"So, what did you do? Bury 'em?" Seifer waved it off. "Hah. Doesn't matter. Whether you're dual-wielding or going at it head to head like a man, I won't lose to you. Let's see if you're worth the trouble."

As Seifer got into his battle stance, Roxas rolled his eyes. "Oh, Seifer. How I quiver with fear."

Seifer smirked. "I guess if you get on your knees and beg, _maybe_ I'll let it slide."

Roxas thought it over for a moment before giving Seifer a smile. "If you say so."

Much to Seifer's, let alone the audience's surprise, Roxas complied and carefully dropped to his knees, bowing to Seifer. Seifer was left dumbstruck.

"What the hell is he doin'?!" Axel pointed at the monitor while shaking Larxene on her shoulder. She smacked his hand away.

Normally, Seifer would've reveled in Roxas making a fool of himself. But in front of a huge crowd - this wasn't the time nor place for it. "Roxas!" he exclaimed, egging him to get up.

Roxas chuckled before whacking Seifer right up his chin. Seifer was practically hurled into the air before crashing into the mat with a loud impact. Roxas was able to claim fifteen orbs as his own. Seifer used a hand to hold onto his chin as he sat up, using one eye to glare at a shrugging Roxas.

"Sorry. You were wide open," Roxas teased.

Seifer clenched his teeth as he quickly got back to his feet and got into his stance, pointing his struggle bat at Roxas in a swaying motion, while Roxas got into his own stance.

The battle began. Seifer rushed towards Roxas with all the fervor he could muster. Roxas didn't back down and was able to parry nearly all of Seifer's attempts. Roxas dodge rolled out of the way and kept his distance.

Considering both of their defensive fighting styles, the two took the time to observe the other before making a move. The two went at it, clashing bats, neither giving the other a moment to counteract. Compared to his previous match, Roxas had to stay on his toes with Seifer. Despite Roxas's own confidence, Seifer was far from a slouch.

With a powerful slash, Roxas was able to knock Seifer up into the air, but to his own surprise, Seifer was able to recover in midair and he came hurtling back down with his struggle bat ready to deliver a devastating blow. "Isn't this romantic?!"

Roxas dodge rolled out of the way and skidded on his foot and knee a bit before returning to his feet. "Uh, no? Not in the slightest."

"It's sarcasm."

"A likely story."

Seifer rolled his eyes. "Come on... enough with the bullshit. Quit playin' around and fight!"

Roxas shrugged. "You asked for it."

With a burst of speed, Roxas dashed towards his opponent. Seifer had little time to react before he was immediately pelted with a flurry of blows. Roxas had an aggressive offense that he had underestimated. Initially, Seifer was able to parry most of the blows until Roxas began to get the upper hand and successfully snagged more than half of his orbs within seconds.

Seifer grunted, clenching his teeth. Roxas gave an almost cocky grin. The crowd was in shock, was Seifer - the well-known candidate leaving for SOLDIER before the end of the summer - outmatched by Roxas?

The crowd would receive their answer as Roxas claimed victory over Seifer.

"And your winner, Roxas Strife!" Selphie cheered as she lifted Roxas's hand.

Seifer helped himself up to his feet, watching Roxas salute to the crowd. Part of him wanted to lash out, but he held his tongue and turned the other cheek. He began making his way to the exit, before he heard Roxas's voice.

"Hey," Roxas called out. "I had a lot of fun fighting you."

Seifer paused before smirking, turning his head halfway. "Makes two of us, I guess. Congratulations."

* * *

As Roxas made his way back into the backstage area, Sora and Tifa were both waiting to greet him.

"You did it!" Sora said. "I knew you could."

"I told you guys I could handle it," Roxas said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I already had an idea what his weaknesses were. Just had to exploit 'em."

"Yeah, we get it, you're Mr. Perfect and all."

"Glad you finally understand."

While Roxas and Sora shared a chuckle, Tifa simply folded her arms with a frown tugging her lips. Roxas noticed and was the first to cease laughing.

"Mom?"

"Sorry, it's just... I'm not sure how I feel about you fighting, you know?" Tifa said. "I know it's just a tournament that doesn't really mean anything, but I don't want you to go down a similar path as your father. It's not even worth risking."

Before Roxas could respond, someone interrupted him.

"Oh, how right you are, Ms. Strife." The three turned their heads to find Rufus Shinra approaching them, giving a round of applause. "You put on quite a show out there."

"Thanks, I'll give you my autograph later," Roxas said insincerely. "Let me guess, you want to talk to me about SOLDIER again?"

Rufus placed his hands in his pockets. "Smart boy."

"Rufus, we've been through this more than enough already," Tifa interjected. "My son has no interest in joining your militia or company. So please, would you be so kind?"

"If you would give me just a moment—"

"You heard her," Roxas said. "I'm not really the kind of guy who likes to repeat himself."

"Neither am I." Rufus smirked. "But that doesn't mean I lack persistence. Yes, I do come with another proposition aligning with your SOLDIER recruitment, but with an alternative."

"What kind of alternative?" Roxas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I've heard from Seifer that your dream is to become a pilot. Would that be correct?" Rufus stroked his chin.

Roxas glanced at Sora, who looked back with a sense of uncertainty. "Maybe," Roxas answered.

"How would you feel about coming to SOLDIER as a reserve pilot?"

Roxas raised his eyebrows. It wasn't a proposition he was expecting.

"It's fairly straightforward," Rufus continued. "You deliver some medical supplies, state of the art Shinra equipment, some of our top doctors and mercenaries to a plethora of different worlds, and perhaps even on free days, you can give your beloved Gummi ship a spin to your heart's content... with one catch that you act as a reserve soldier."

Roxas pursed his lips. He seemed to be considering the offer. Tifa's eyes darted back and forth between Roxas and Rufus. She eventually caught the glare Rufus was sending her and she sent one back before placing a hand on her son's shoulder.

"Whatever you decide, I'll support you," Tifa said.

Roxas paused for a moment before nodding. "As tempting as that sounds, I'll figure out my own way to become a pilot."

Rufus sent Tifa one last look before putting on his fabricated smile. "Very well." As Rufus passed him by, he placed his hand on Roxas's shoulder. "Just so you'll know where to find me if you end up having a change of heart."

The next thing Roxas knew, he felt Rufus slipping a card in his hand. Roxas watched as Rufus walked off with his hands tied behind his back. As expected, it was a card: the same card with Rufus's contact info Roxas ripped up back at the dinner party. Though, he wasn't hit with the same urge this time.

"Roxas, try not to let him get to you," Tifa said. "Believe me, you don't want to get involved with that crowd."

"Yeah... yeah, I know," was all Roxas could muster.

Sora looked at Roxas with a look of uncertainty and was about to interject before Selphie's voice boomed from outside.

"It's time for the start of the third round, folks! Our first match: Sora versus Riku!"

Sora gulped. This was something he wasn't sure whether he was dreading or anticipating.

"Give it your all," Roxas reminded.

Sora looked back at him halfway. "Right."

* * *

As Sora stepped into the ring, Riku was already there waiting for him with his struggle bat firmly within his grasp. Sora stepped into the ring with careful steps. With the way Riku's eyes followed him, he wasn't sure if he wanted to do this anymore, but it was too late to back out.

"And now, the match you all've been waiting for," Selphie continued. "We have the charismatic and dashing Fleuret prince of Destiny Islands, Riku Miyano!" Selphie looked over to Sora and made a thumbs down gesture while sticking out her tongue. "And Sora."

Sora got into a defensive stance. "Okay, that's really getting old!"

Selphie rolled her eyes. "Who will come out on top? Best friend versus best friend. Rival versus rival. There can only be one who can overcome the other and move on to the semifinal round. Take your votes now! In three... two... one..."

"STRUGGLE!"

_**Memories of Trials** _


End file.
